1 Samuel 8.19-20 19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a
king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king
to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”
Sometimes people get fed-up with leadership. They get so
fed-up that they demand something new, and in Samuel’s day, they demanded
something new: a king. Up to this
point, in their history, Israel had been led by prophets and judges who were by
their very nature, religious in nature. And now, because the shine had come off
the apple, they came to Samuel and demanded someone – other than Samuel – to lead
them as their king.
First, I
notice their mind was made up: “No!” they said. “We want a king over us.
Samuel, you’re not listening to us – we are tired of you, and want the glitz
and glamour of royalty!
Second, they
sought to be what they imagined was best: Then we will be like all the other
nations… For some reason the thought of having a king was more desirable and
formal than the seeming informality of a judge.
Third, they
wanted a hero: a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.
Heroes seem to get things done. Heroes are ones who’re supposed to have the
guts, grit, and gusto to punch the enemy in the face and keep him at bay. Let
me be what I will be; but go and fight my battles for me.
Life is not about fighting, but it is about battles. And
battles come in all shapes and sizes; some from within, some from without. We
have pushback and difficulty in this life – just try taking a walk on a gusty,
windy day. Paul said, the battles we fight are not carnal or worldly – they are
the battles that arise to deny God, and make Him less in our eyes and mind. I think
the biggest battles we fight are against the thoughts in our own minds: people,
places, perspectives.
We’re to fight those battles against our imaginations and
thoughts. Paul said, we’re to take every thought captive and control it,
because if we don’t, they’ll run wild.
Israel had a king
– they just couldn’t accept Him because they couldn’t see Him, and He told them
to take responsibility for themselves. Responsibility for me is hard work. Accountability
to Someone else is even harder…
The freedom to have a king is still present today. And
God’s offer is still the same: Let Me be
your King, and I will lead you to be responsible, accountable, and to lead
purposeful and meaningful lives for My sake, not yours.
Accepting, and cooperating with God’s leadership is
possibly one of the biggest battles of all…
Father, You are
King and are to be treated and respected as such. Lead on, O King eternal, the
day of march has come; henceforth in fields of conquest Your tents shall be my
home. Through days of preparation Your grace has made me strong; and now, O
King eternal, I lift the battle song. Amen
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