ONE-YEAR JOURNEY OF THE BIBLE
Day 81 - 1 Samuel 8-10 (Trading Fillet Mignon for a Dollar Burger)
(To View Past Posts Click: http://tonyvicreyes1-yearbible.blogspot.com/)
"Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, "No, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles." (1 Samuel 8:19-20)
Amber and I once got a voucher for a free pastors' conference we attended either to stay at a luxury hotel or trade the voucher for cash and stay elsewhere. As much as I would want to forget my decision to take the cash and check in at a cheap motel room that smelled of cigarette smoke, my wife would not let me. It was like I traded a fillet mignon steak dinner at a fancy French restaurant with a burger from the dollar menu of a McDonalds at a drive-thru. What wife can forget that, huh?
I can't help but compare my unforgetable experience with the decision of the Israelites to trade God's theocratic rule of their nation with their choice of becoming a monarchy ruled by a king just like the rest of the nations around them. Thus far, as long as the people looked to God for help, God went before Israel's army to their battles and fought for them, giving them victory each time.
When Samuel and his sons served as Israel's judges, however, the people demanded Samuel to give them a king "that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles." Naturally, this request saddened Samuel and God but God told Samuel to give the people what they wanted. The rest is Israel's sad history. The kingdom was divided after its third king, Solomon. Of the twenty kings that reigned in Israel, not one was good; and of the twenty kings of Judah, only four were considered good. Both kingdoms ended up in exile.
What can we learn from this sad lesson from Israel's hostory? For those of us who consider ourselves true followers of Christ, we must admit that we are often guilty of trading God with something else. It could be a temporary sinful pleasure, settling for second best in a relationship, or trading valuable worship and fellowship time on Sundays with overtime work. Whatever it may be, we act foolishly whenever we trade the best for something less.
Father, help us to recognize your best for us and grant us the courage to always choose you over all others. In your Son's name, Jesus, we pray.
Day 81 - 1 Samuel 8-10 (Trading Fillet Mignon for a Dollar Burger)
(To View Past Posts Click: http://tonyvicreyes1-yearbible.blogspot.com/)
"Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, "No, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles." (1 Samuel 8:19-20)
Amber and I once got a voucher for a free pastors' conference we attended either to stay at a luxury hotel or trade the voucher for cash and stay elsewhere. As much as I would want to forget my decision to take the cash and check in at a cheap motel room that smelled of cigarette smoke, my wife would not let me. It was like I traded a fillet mignon steak dinner at a fancy French restaurant with a burger from the dollar menu of a McDonalds at a drive-thru. What wife can forget that, huh?
I can't help but compare my unforgetable experience with the decision of the Israelites to trade God's theocratic rule of their nation with their choice of becoming a monarchy ruled by a king just like the rest of the nations around them. Thus far, as long as the people looked to God for help, God went before Israel's army to their battles and fought for them, giving them victory each time.
When Samuel and his sons served as Israel's judges, however, the people demanded Samuel to give them a king "that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles." Naturally, this request saddened Samuel and God but God told Samuel to give the people what they wanted. The rest is Israel's sad history. The kingdom was divided after its third king, Solomon. Of the twenty kings that reigned in Israel, not one was good; and of the twenty kings of Judah, only four were considered good. Both kingdoms ended up in exile.
What can we learn from this sad lesson from Israel's hostory? For those of us who consider ourselves true followers of Christ, we must admit that we are often guilty of trading God with something else. It could be a temporary sinful pleasure, settling for second best in a relationship, or trading valuable worship and fellowship time on Sundays with overtime work. Whatever it may be, we act foolishly whenever we trade the best for something less.
Father, help us to recognize your best for us and grant us the courage to always choose you over all others. In your Son's name, Jesus, we pray.
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