SCRIPTURE: 1 Samuel 8
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Samuel said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. [1 Samuel 8:11] The people are doing what God said they would do [Deuteronomy 17:14-20]. But be careful what you pray for, you might get it. Samuel warns the Israelites that having a king might not be so great afterall. God knows our sinful human nature; He knows that power corrupts, and that absolute power corrupts absolutely. He knows that even those who being well, often get seduced by the lures of power, wealth, privilege. History bears this out repeatedly.
Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave– just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” [Matthew 20:25-28] The disciples are also being seduced by the possibility of power and privilege; their fighting over the best positions of Jesus’ kingdom. But Jesus challenges them, and all of human nature, with His teaching and example. As one person has said, ‘many kings have sent out their subjects to die for them, but Jesus sent Himself to die for His subjects’.
History illustrates many attempts to correct this world by politics, power or the people. But every attempt, from monarchies to dictatorships to socialism and communism and democracy, etc. have failed to tame the human heart, which strives and grasps for selfish advantage. The best intentioned politicians and leaders and movements eventually derail because human nature twists it into a self-serving, justice denying thing.
We need to surrender to God. We need Jesus as our King, and we need to follow His example. We need to deny ourselves, be servants, love our enemies, sacrifice for the sake of others, be generous with God’s gifts. By living like Jesus, enabled by the Spirit to produce the fruit of the Spirit, this is the ONLY way that God’s kingdom will come. And it starts in us. Having a king will not solve Israel’s problem, it will only expose it. The problem is in us, and we need to get right with God. We need radical heart surgery. Only by dying to self, and living in/with/for Jesus, can His kingdom paradise come. Our only hope is if Jesus becomes Prime Minister, President, or King.
PRAYER:
Lord, no wonder we are disillusioned by politics and war; they cannot succeed. We need You, in us, making us like You!
Oh be careful little eyes are the words that come to my mind once again as I read this passage. Being unique, being separate as part of God’s people with God our Father as our King wasn’t enough. Remembering what He had done for our fathers and fore fathers wasn’t enough. We only remember today all too often and we want our wants filled now. We do not desire to be a separate people but we want to be like those around us. And so we want a physical leader, one we can see and our problems will be solved.
But if Christ is not part of the solution we have a major problem. The prime minister of Haiti was ousted this past week because of the ruling people’s interests. Without Christ there is no peace. With Christ our self interest disappear and He reigns in us and through us. Christ is the Ruler of my heart. Christ needs to be the ruler of the peoples of this world – in Haiti, in Iran, in Afghanistan, in Canada, in state, federal, provincial, municipal governments. We need renewal – reformation day all over again – going against the flow. Help me this day Lord to stand up for You doing Your will.
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.