Scripture Nugget 3.21.2017
Scripture Read 1 Samuel 7-10
Nugget 1 Samuel 7:3-7, 8:19-20
“Then Samuel said to the house of Israel, ‘If you are returning to the LORD with all you heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Astartes from among you. Direct your heart to the LORD, and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.’ So Israel put away the Baals and the Astartes, and they served the LORD only. … But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; they said, ‘No! but we are determined to have a king over us, so that we also may be like the other nations, and that our king may govern us and go before us and fight our battles.’”
Devotional thought: If only the people of Israel had permanently returned to God and put away their idols and idolatrous hearts forever. Maybe then they would have been focused on, seen and appreciated all the God had done, was doing and would have faith in what he promised to do for them. But no, they envied other nations, they wanted an earthly king not recognize Creator God. Read 1 Samuel 8:10-18, which predicts in detail what an earthly king will subject “his” kingdom to. God is a God of grace and mercy, earthly kings provide for themselves from the kingdom, the result for those who forsake God for an earthly king is pain. “And in that day you will cry out because your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves; but the LORD will not answer you in that day.” (1 Samuel 8:18) How is it with your soul? How is your Lenten journey going? Have you returned all of your heart to God? Or are you distracted by other things, other people’s circumstances? Does God rule supreme in your heart? Or are you determined to have another king?