Watch For What We Ask

O. T. #588  "Watch For What We Ask"
August 31, 2015
1 Samuel 8
And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.  1 Samuel 8:5

LET IT GLOW

We would be wise to watch what we ask for from God. Sometimes it is not what is best for us, yet He gives it to teach us a lesson. Then we live to regret it. Such is the case of Israel.

As Samuel grew old, he made his sons judges over Israel. However, his sons turned aside to lucre. This is the first mention of lucre, which refers to plunder, gain, profit in the Hebrew language.
Of all people, Samuel should have should have learned from Eli's mistakes (3:13). Did he not properly train his sons and restrain them? Now they were perverting judgment.

We must be careful to mold and train our children in the ways of God. What we teach them can last a lifetime and affect future generations.Without that training, they probably go the way of the world. However, we can't blame ourselves for the choices our grown children make. They are accountable to God for their actions.

How important is filthy lucre to us?
Shall we look at the Scriptures' warnings for us (NIV)?
In Titus 1:7 and 11 Paul warned Titus that the elder/pastor is to not shamefully gain.
In Paul's letter to Timothy, he warns the overseer/pastor and deacons to not be a lovers of money, not loving silver ( 1 Timothy 3:3 and 8).
In 1 Peter 5:2, we read where Peter warns the elders to not be greedy for money.
What applies to our leadership should apply to the lay person, shouldn't it?

LET IT GROW

The elders of Israel rose up to handle it in their own way. They told Samuel to make us a king.
Why did Israel want a king?
Life Application Study Bible answers that question:

1. Samuel's sons were not fit to lead Israel.
2. The 12 tribes of Israel continually had problems working together because each tribe had its own leader and territory. It was hoped that a king would unite the tribes into one nation and one army.
3. The people wanted to be like the neighboring nations.

That is exactly what God did not want for His children. It would be too easy for them to forget God was their intended leader. It wasn't wrong for them to want a king, they just went about in the wrong way and wrong time. A king would symbolize power, security, and lead them into battle (Deut. 17:14,15). God even told Israel to set a king over them when they came into their Promised Land. However, the stipulation was that God would choose the man. He was to not be a foreigner, but one of them. He was to not accumulate large amounts of horses, gold, silver, or wives for himself.

Oh, Israel, you are going to live to regret this. Watch out for what you are asking. Don't do it. (We can read what a mess their Saul made during his reign as Israel's king. He perverted justice and charged taxes, plus trying to kill David, the anointed king by God. )

Are we careful what we ask of God? Are we carefully and prayerfully considering who to vote for as the next president of our nation?

LET IT GO

Pray for God's will, not my will.

Distinguish if it is for self-gain when I pray.