THE STORY OF JESUS: 1 Samuel 8-11
“Listen to them and give them a king.” (1 Samuel 8:21)
Someone once said, ‘be careful what you ask for, you just might get it!’
Not everything we ask for from God is good for us.
Sometimes God says ‘no’, but here we see God giving them what they want.
And time will prove Samuel’s warnings correct (1 Samuel 8:10-18).
God created us to be partners, not puppets (Genesis 1:26-28).
The problem is that this allows us the freedom to make foolish choices.
Who or what have we surrendered ourselves to, that now hold us bondage?
Insisting on what we want may feel good in the moment, but it cannot last.
Without God as our leader, we become slaves to lesser things that ruin us.
God sends Jesus to reclaim our hearts, to offer us a way back to Him.
He meets us in our folly by giving us the king we need, not the king we want.
Jesus breaks free from Satan’s grip, and restores God’s authority on earth.
But we must still choose; we are partners not puppets.
He is waiting for us to ask Him to be our king, the kind of king we really need!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, thank You for being the king we need. Your leadership is good, even though it goes against what my foolish heart wants. I choose You as my king!
In my reading the entire in a year, it was very interesting read. It was where Joshua addressed the people as to whom they would serve. Their reply was that they would serve the Lord, their God. And they did as long as the leaders who knew Joshua were alive.
Then the people drifted away from the Way.
They did what was right in their own eyes.
And we come to today’s reading in Samuel.
No longer do the people desire to be lead by God, but their heart’s desire is to have a king like those around them. The rejected God’s lead and integrated themselves to be like those from whom they needed to be separated from.
They wanted a visible king although they had a real King.
As God’s Spirit came upon Saul’s heart and led him, so must God’s Spirit take residence in my heart as I live in His presence. I need His leading each day and I too need to respond as the people did with Joshua . . .
but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Lead me Lord.
Lead me, oh Lord, won’t you lead me
I am tired and I need thy strength and power
To guide me over my darkest hour
Lord just open my eyes that I may see
Lead me, oh Lord, won’t you lead me
Lead me, guide me along the way
For if you lead me I cannot stray
Lord just open my eyes that I may see
Lead me, oh Lord, won’t you lead me
I am lost if you take thy hand from me
I am blind without thy light to see
Lord just always let me thy servant be
Lead me, oh Lord, won’t you lead me
Lead me, oh Lord, won’t you lead me
Lead me, guide me along the way
For if you lead me I cannot stray
Lord just open my eyes that I may see
Lead me, oh Lord, won’t you lead me
Lead me, oh Lord, won’t you lead me