TUESDAY May 17, 2022
The Rejection of God’s Leadership
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
1 Samuel 8:4-5
Samuel, as a prophet, was Israel’s spiritual leader. He even established a School of Prophets to guard against corruption and to train younger men so that they might continue to be godly influences in the nation. Yet the people began to murmur and complain. Israel demanded to have a king rule over them so they could become like all the others nations.
Samuel went before the Lord and prayed. Knowing the hearts of the people, God revealed the truth to him. He should not be upset, because the people were not rejecting Samuel, they were rejecting God’s rule over them:
So Samuel prayed to the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them” (1 Samuel 8:6-7).
Think about it. Israel chose the rule of man rather than the rule of God–– bad choice. God gave to Israel their first king. Saul, on the day of his anointing, could not be found. This showed a great flaw in his character–– weakness. The Lord told Samuel where Saul was hiding (1 Samuel 10:20-22).
It is such a sad day when a person rejects God’s rule over their lives. What rules over them instead? Let God be King! God governs over us with His love, grace and mercy. It is a blessed life to have when we are governed by God.
Your priorities must be God first, God second, and God third, until your life is continually face to face with God.
~Oswald Chambers~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
