Pride's Place

King Uzziah was a leper to the day of his death; and he lived in a separate house, being a leper, for he was cut off from the house of the Lord. (2 Chron 26:21)

Uzziah’s prideful worship resulted in his affliction with leprosy. When he attempted to worship in an unauthorized way, without the priest’s mediation, he was called to stop…to repent. But repentance is hard for a king. Pride can keep a king from humbling himself. Pride is something that God sees within a man. And it is as ugly on the inside as leprosy is on the outside. Our lesson is that in this day, God was to be worshipped through the way God had designed. And Uzziah was out of order in his order of worship. This can also happen today. Some folks have the idea that they can approach the Lord in an unauthorized way. Now we do not need priests from the line of Aaron to mediate. Nor do we need pastors or ministry leaders to approach God on our behalf. But we still need a mediator. We need Jesus. No man comes to the Father except through the Son. No one will approach the holiness of God without Jesus as his Great High Priest. Pride that keeps us from humbling ourselves before Jesus is just as detestable before the Lord as it was in Uzziah’s day. Pride is never pretty…especially when you can see the outcome. Pride, like leprosy, can separate you from the goodness and glory of God. Pride can get us cut off from our sanctuary. Pride will not stand in the presence of the Lord. Pride's place is a desolate place. Pride will place us in the leper's house. God's house is the goal...it's where our heart finds its home.