His Heart Trembled for the Ark of God
What your heart most trembles for will be the god you serve
When he arrived, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. (1 Samuel 4:13, ESV)
Eli trembled for the ark
Eli watches helplessly as the Philistines wage war against his people, Israel (1 Samuel 4:10-11). There is so much at stake! Lives could be lost. Israel’s national welfare is threatened. Eli’s own sons are in great danger. The scene of the conflict must have seemed so chaotic and disheartening.
There are plenty of things that could be weighing heavily on Eli’s mind right now, but we find him overwhelmed with one great concern. One thing consumes all his thoughts. There is one thing for which he trembles in the midst of the conflict.
It is the ark of God.
The ark was symbolic of God’s holy presence. To have the ark with you meant having the glory of God by your side and in your midst. Eli’s trembling is induced by his anxiety for what might happen to the ark.
Don’t miss this. In the midst of all the conflict and chaos, when there is so much at stake, the thing that drives Eli to trembling is his concern for the presence and glory of God. And this…
