1 Samuel 8:5-7 New Living Translation
“Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.”Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance. “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer.”
1 Samuel 8:1-22 tells the story of Samuel, his sons & the people of Israel wanting a King like the surrounding nations. This falls under the category of ‘be careful what you ask for, because you just might get it’.
Samuel was very old and his sons were not at all like him, in that they were greedy, accepting bribes & corrupting justice. The people saw this and instead of turning to God, asked Samuel for a King to rule over them just like the nations that surrounded them. This King, they reasoned, would rule over them and lead them into battle. Samuel would not at all pleased with their request, considering it a major slap in the face. God recognized what was happening here and essentially said to Samuel give them what they want for they do not wish to have me rule over them any longer.
The point of my looking at this portion of scripture from the Old Testament is that there are things and circumstances that we all wish to have or take place. We don’t pray about it, we just want it to happen so badly they we assume God would surely honor our request. I mean, why wouldn’t he? Doesn’t the Bible say God gives us the desires of our hearts? It is at that precise moment that we lose sight of what God may want for us and replace it with our own selfish wants. The fact of the matter is that we cannot know all that God knows about our life. He created us and therefore knows us more intimately than we could ever know. This is why it is imperative to lay everything before the Lord and wait. God’s best is far greater than our biggest wants, desires and dreams and that is what he has planned for us, nothing but the absolute best.
So when you feel like there is something you either must have or a situation that you must have take place, remember the Israelites from 1stSamuel and seek to determine what God’s will is in the situation. God has no particular timetable when it comes to what we want or don’t want. He knows the best time for his will to manifest itself in your life. So put your desires aside and rely on God to know what you truly need in this life. If your desires line up with his desires for you, then you can be confident it will come to pass. You have never been, nor shall you ever be short changed and some day you may be glad you never received what you felt you had to have. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller
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