God’s Best Way
I was reading in 1 Samuel 8 this morning and found myself in there!! This chapter is a turning point in Israel’s history where they are moving from the rule of judges appointed by God to rule by a king. Israel asks Samuel, the current judge, to appoint a king over them so they can be “like the other nations”. Now, remember, all around them are pagan nations worshiping pagan gods. Up to this point, even though there have been serious times of sinful disobedience and idolatry, Israel, for the most part, has been a “theocracy”, a nation under God. Now, however, they want to be “like all the other nations” and be ruled by a king. Samuel, very upset, goes to God with this and God told Samuel (and I am sure this was a bit of a surprise to Samuel!) to “obey the voice of the people” and give them a king BUT God also instructs Samuel to give them a warning as to what the “king’s ways” will be-He will take the best of what they have- be it crops, children or their time and talents-and use them for himself. He will make them his slaves. Most importantly, WHEN they, once again, cry out to the LORD, He will not hear them!! Even after this warning, Israel still wants a king “just like the other nations”. They, in essence, wanted the status, governance and someone to fight their battles for them-someone other than GOD!!
As I read this chapter, the thought came to me that I too often want to be and to have what others are and have-I want status, governance and someone to fight my battles “just like” others around me-just like the rest of the world! I am not much different than those Israelites! I want what I want; I want what others have; I want to be like them; I want to walk in the world’s ways rather than God’s ways!
Here is the place I came to this morning in reading this chapter: God will sometimes give me what I want-give me my way-though He knows it is not best for me in order to show me this huge truth….Doing things HIS way rather than MY way is the BEST way in the long run!! The Israelites go through a great deal of hardship to come to this place-I hope I am a faster learner!