I've been reading through the Chronicles in my quiet time lately, and this afternoon I ran across a king I'm not sure I've ever been aware of, King Uzziah of Judah.

King Uzziah's story is found in 2 Chronicles 26. Appointed to the throne at the ripe age of sixteen, Uzziah begins his reign seeking God's will and is blessed. And even more typically his reign ends in tragedy.

"But after Uzziah became powerful his pride led to his downfall," reads verse 16 and we have a continuing narrative that the king enters the temple of the Lord to burn incense--a duty reserved for the consecrated Levitical priests. A few (eighty-one) brave priests follow him in order to confront the sin. Amidst the confrontation, Uzziah gets angry, waves a smoldering incense stick around, and is immediately struck down with leprosy. He finishes his life in seclusion.

I find Uzziah's story intriguing because his pride does not lead him to forsake God and turn to other gods as we often see in the other Kings' examples. Instead, his pride leads him to make hasty assumptions about God, His worship, and His power.



As I read this story, I instinctively saw myself standing in a most holy place, waving around a smoldering stick, feeling vindicated but looking ridiculous...only to be struck with the holiness of the One I seek to serve. I'm usually the first to jump on the bandwagon of things the church is doing wrong. My cynicism breeds an un-teachable and judgmental spirit. My assumptions about God and His worship are many--tipping the scales away from humble recognition of His power.

Though the church may need reform and God sends prophets to cleanse of corruption; may we all receive the grace of learning from Uzziah's story. Tread lightly, God alone can judge...even our own hearts.