Blog post April 21, 2026

Have you ever wanted something so badly that you didn't care what the Lord had to say about it?

As the prophet Samuel was growing old the nation of Israel came to him asking him for a king. God said to Samuel ever since I brought them out of Egypt they have continually abandoned Me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment. They are rejecting Me, not you. Do as they ask, but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them.

So Samuel painted a very grim but realistic picture of all that having an earthly king would mean for them. The king would take their sons and their daughters to serve in his Army, to work in his fields, to be his cooks and perfume makers. He would take away the best of their fields and Vineyards and Olive Groves, and give them to his own officials. He would take 1/10 of all of their grain and grape harvest. He would take their male and female servants and demand the best of their cattle and donkeys for his own use. You yourselves will be his slaves. Then you will cry out to the Lord but He will not help you. 1 Samuel 8

Their response was even so, we still want a king, we want to be like the other nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.

The story reminds me of our human nature. We are exactly the same way. We want what we want, and we want it now. The saddest part of that whole story is the last warning from Samuel. "Then you will cry out to the Lord, but He will not help you."

If someone were to ask us what would we trade for our souls? What is so alluring to us that we would abandoned God to gain it? We would say nothing! Yet we are so often like the Apostle Paul was. The very things we don't want to do we find ourselves doing, and the things we want to do we find ourselves not doing.

These stories serve as alerts as to our human nature and how easily we follow the culture and abandon God. Israel didn't ask for a king immediately. They abanadoned God in little ways each day, and that made the final step seem natural.

Lord help us to be faithful followers in all the little ways each day. The battle is real for us, but sometimes not clear. Help us to see with clarity small compromises in our daily walk with You . I pray in Jesus name. AMEN