"THEY HAVE REJECTED ME!"

1 Samuel 8:1-9                 (ESV)

"1 When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel.

2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba.

3 Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but TURNED ASIDE AFTER GAIN. They took bribes and perverted justice.

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah

5 and said to him, "Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us LIKE ALL THE NATIONS."

6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." And Samuel prayed to the LORD.

7 And the LORD said to Samuel, "Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but "THEY HAVE REJECTED ME" from being king over them.

8 According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking ME and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you.

9 Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them."

Rainfall where I live is a topic that most have definite feelings about.  There was a report recently about the local reservoir releasing water rapidly to alleviate recent rainfalls and to prepare for predicted future rainfalls.  Local farmers can't even plant crops because the ground is too wet, and it continues to rain!  Many people comment about no sunshine, as rain generally means overcast and clouds.  On a side note, the "sun" generally brings good feelings, much like the "SON" does!

Man cannot control nearly as much as he thinks he can!  We have gotten SO intelligent that we can send messages around the world with a handheld wireless device, we can't communicate with family members across the same room!!  Yet we want to tell GOD that we know best and our ways are best for us?   

The children of Israel THOUGHT they knew a better way than GOD's way too!  They "desired" a king to judge them, LIKE ALL THE NATIONS.  Samuel had "judged" the children of Israel justly, but his sons, who had been appointed as judges, TURNED ASIDE AFTER GAIN, they wanted to fill their own pockets!  Samuel knew that having a king wasn't in GOD's design for Israel and he prayed and ask GOD what to do about the wishes of HIS people.  GOD graciously told Samuel to "Obey the voice of the people", but that "you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them."  

Samuel could SEE what the results could be for the children of Israel.  GOD told Samuel that he was not being rejected, rather "THEY HAVE REJECTED ME"!  The children of Israel had been delivered from Egyptian captivity, miraculously crossed the Red Sea, defeated numerous enemies, and were GIVEN the Promised Land, yet they didn't trust GOD to deliver leadership after Samuel!  One would think they might have learned their lesson!  

But have WE learned our lesson?  GOD has delivered me from "the valley of the shadow of death" more times than I care to admit, yet I still want to tell GOD how things should be proceeding?  The GOD who causes it to rain can cause it to sunshine in our lives.  HE is more than capable of defeating my enemies and working "all things together for good" in my life!  When GOD thinks of me will HE say "THEY HAVE REJECTED ME" or will HE say "well done, enter into the joy of your Master"!