“So Samuel reported all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, ‘These will be the ways of the kings who will reign over you; he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots; and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots; and he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and give it to his officers and his courtiers. He will take your male and female slaves, and the best of your cattle and donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take one-tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves; but the LORD will not answer you in that day.’” 1 Samuel 8:10-18

Oh how careful I must be when wishing for that which others appear to have. Especially when I haven’t consulted God. What is it, who is it I wish to rule over me? What or who will I worship? God loves, God provides, God doesn’t ruthlessly demand, God doesn’t force, God first loves me/us so that I/you may love God in return. God doesn’t take for God’s pleasure, God gives freely hoping not forcing me/us to love God in return. “If we didn’t have the choice to say no, our yes would be meaningless”. Be careful what you ask for, you might just get it……