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Dear Heavenly Father, Praise I praise you today, for you are a God who forgives those who come to you in true repentance. The Israelites destroyed their Baals and Ashtaroth, and humbled themselves before you at Mizpah. You thundered “with a great thunder” from heaven and brought confusion to their enemies. I stand in awe before you, for you are indeed the Lord who helps me (1 Sam 7:12). Today in Your Word Today you told me about the people’s rejection of you and the anointing of Saul as king of Israel. The elders of Israel came to Samuel at Ramah and complained that his sons, whom he had appointed as judges, did not walk in his ways. They said, “Give us a king to judge us” (1 Sam 8:6). Their request sounded sincere, but their hearts were full of rebellion (1 Sam 12:17). You told Samuel that their rejection of his sons (and thus of Samuel himself) was actually a rejection of you. This teaches me that if I reject the leader you have placed over me, I’m rejecting you and committing idolatry (1 Sam 8:7–8). The elders’ true motives were sinful. Instead of obeying your command to be salt and light to the pagan peoples around them (cf. Exod 19:6; Deut 4:5–8), they wanted to be just “like all the nations” (1 Sam 8:5, 20). This teaches me that I should not resent the distinctions that separate me from the world; rather, I should embrace them and use them to reach the lost. You warned Israel of the consequences of demanding a king, but they insisted, and you finally gave them what they wanted. You chose Saul as a man to meet their expectations, a man who truly looked like a king. But did Saul have the character to match his grand appearance? Only time would tell. Reflection Samuel’s sons were corrupt, and his decision to appoint them as judges was a mistake. But a wrong choice by God’s man doesn’t necessarily give me the license to reject him as my authority. Request Father, help me submit to the authorities you have placed in my life. Give me a heart that desires to be different from the world and refuses to conform to its mold. Thanksgiving Thank you for placing warning signs along the road of life to keep me from straying into sin. I welcome your voice—far better for me to listen to you than for you to listen to me (1 Sam 8:7). In Jesus’ name, Amen. Suggested Hymn: “You Serve but One Master” by Henry Ostrom. Meditation Verse: 1 Samuel 8:19; 10:24. |