Reading: I Samuel 7, 8
My Verse: "Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations" (8:4b).
This seemed like a simple and harmless request. After all, all the nations around had a king. Yet, when the Israelites demanded this of Samuel he was upset because he knew this was a wrong thing that the people wanted. "But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, 'Give us a king to judge us." Samuel asked his LORD God for guidance and You, LORD God told him to do as the people wished! Even though this was not as You wanted! What the people were asking was not a wrong thing in and of itself. It was simply wrong for them. It was not Your best for them.
I like that first of all You were thoughtful of Samuel and told him that it wasn't him that the people were rejecting but You. "for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them" (8:7).
So sad those words, LORD God, that the people were rejecting You after all that You had done for them. And yet that is the very thing that we do, isn't it? We seek after the wrong things. We beg You for things You know would not be best for us. We reject Your wise ways and love. We turn our backs to You for immediate gratification of our wrong desires.
Here the Israelites want to be like the nations around them, "like all the nations." How often do we compromise ourselves to be like those around us? How often do we insist that we need something that isn't good for us so we could fit in?
I also like that You give a warning about this wrong desire. You instruct Samuel to "solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them."
Oh, LORD God, it seems odd but this little verse, this story of the people of Israel rejecting You gives me some hope. It shows how even though we tend to mess things up, even though we insist on having our way, You LORD God will keep loving us. You may end up giving us what we want. We will then suffer the bad consequences of that but You don't give up on us. You will when we relent and return to You make things aright again. Yes, it gives me hope as I see so much going wrong around me. It gives me hope that You can use the bad things that happen for Your purposes. And those purposes are good and perfect.
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11).
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2).
Help me, LORD God to allow You to lead and guide me even when I don't understand the why of things happening. Help me to trust myself and my loved ones to You in all things.
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5).
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
My Verse: "Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations" (8:4b).
This seemed like a simple and harmless request. After all, all the nations around had a king. Yet, when the Israelites demanded this of Samuel he was upset because he knew this was a wrong thing that the people wanted. "But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, 'Give us a king to judge us." Samuel asked his LORD God for guidance and You, LORD God told him to do as the people wished! Even though this was not as You wanted! What the people were asking was not a wrong thing in and of itself. It was simply wrong for them. It was not Your best for them.
I like that first of all You were thoughtful of Samuel and told him that it wasn't him that the people were rejecting but You. "for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them" (8:7).
So sad those words, LORD God, that the people were rejecting You after all that You had done for them. And yet that is the very thing that we do, isn't it? We seek after the wrong things. We beg You for things You know would not be best for us. We reject Your wise ways and love. We turn our backs to You for immediate gratification of our wrong desires.
Here the Israelites want to be like the nations around them, "like all the nations." How often do we compromise ourselves to be like those around us? How often do we insist that we need something that isn't good for us so we could fit in?
I also like that You give a warning about this wrong desire. You instruct Samuel to "solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them."
Oh, LORD God, it seems odd but this little verse, this story of the people of Israel rejecting You gives me some hope. It shows how even though we tend to mess things up, even though we insist on having our way, You LORD God will keep loving us. You may end up giving us what we want. We will then suffer the bad consequences of that but You don't give up on us. You will when we relent and return to You make things aright again. Yes, it gives me hope as I see so much going wrong around me. It gives me hope that You can use the bad things that happen for Your purposes. And those purposes are good and perfect.
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11).
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2).
Help me, LORD God to allow You to lead and guide me even when I don't understand the why of things happening. Help me to trust myself and my loved ones to You in all things.
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5).
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
No comments:
Post a Comment