As we draw nearer and nearer to the birthday of our Saviour...I am reminded that He is King of kings and Lord of lords. He is our King, ruling in our hearts because of His life, death, resurrection and indwelling Spirit.
Yet, I can't help but wonder how much like the Israelites we can be when they cried out, "We must have a king over us. Then we'll be like all the other nations..." (I Samuel 8:20). God says, in that moment, they were rejecting HIM as their King...something they had been doing since they left Egypt.
My initial thoughts on reading I Samuel 8 were to be saddened by the Israelites foolishness and to think about how that would not have been my heart if I had been "beamed back" to that day. How could they think those thoughts, let alone, act on them?!
I'm thankful God didn't leave me in my self-righteousness for too long! The more I pondered...the more I realized how often I live in the likeness of Israel.
The Israelites had GOD as their King, yet they wanted more...they wanted to be like the other nations. God is my King...my Saviour...and yet, how often I live and act as if I need more. How often I look around me and want what others have.
God, you are enough....but I need to have more money in the bank. God, you are enough....but I need to go on a getaway for a few days like everyone else seems to be doing. God, you are enough....but I need an afternoon of quiet. God, you are enough....but I don't want to go through this trial anymore. God, you are enough....but why can't my life be more like _______. God, you are enough...but I'm tired of waiting. I could keep filling in the blanks of discontent that often well up in my heart...how about you?
What I am really saying each and every time discontentment wells up in my own heart is, "God, you are not enough...and if things were different, my life would be a lot better." What I'm really saying is, "God, I want another king." What I am really doing each and every time I desire more than what He has seen as best to give me is rejecting my King. I am guilty of the same foolish sin that Israel was guilty of.
I am thankful for the Israelites example, though it is often an example of what not to do, because there is more of "me" in them than I would care to admit...and I want to learn and grow from their mistakes. I am "prone to wander" but, by God's grace, it doesn't have to be for 40 years!
Yet, I can't help but wonder how much like the Israelites we can be when they cried out, "We must have a king over us. Then we'll be like all the other nations..." (I Samuel 8:20). God says, in that moment, they were rejecting HIM as their King...something they had been doing since they left Egypt.
My initial thoughts on reading I Samuel 8 were to be saddened by the Israelites foolishness and to think about how that would not have been my heart if I had been "beamed back" to that day. How could they think those thoughts, let alone, act on them?!
I'm thankful God didn't leave me in my self-righteousness for too long! The more I pondered...the more I realized how often I live in the likeness of Israel.
The Israelites had GOD as their King, yet they wanted more...they wanted to be like the other nations. God is my King...my Saviour...and yet, how often I live and act as if I need more. How often I look around me and want what others have.
God, you are enough....but I need to have more money in the bank. God, you are enough....but I need to go on a getaway for a few days like everyone else seems to be doing. God, you are enough....but I need an afternoon of quiet. God, you are enough....but I don't want to go through this trial anymore. God, you are enough....but why can't my life be more like _______. God, you are enough...but I'm tired of waiting. I could keep filling in the blanks of discontent that often well up in my heart...how about you?
What I am really saying each and every time discontentment wells up in my own heart is, "God, you are not enough...and if things were different, my life would be a lot better." What I'm really saying is, "God, I want another king." What I am really doing each and every time I desire more than what He has seen as best to give me is rejecting my King. I am guilty of the same foolish sin that Israel was guilty of.
I am thankful for the Israelites example, though it is often an example of what not to do, because there is more of "me" in them than I would care to admit...and I want to learn and grow from their mistakes. I am "prone to wander" but, by God's grace, it doesn't have to be for 40 years!
- Come Thou long expected Jesus
- Born to set Thy people free
- From our fears and sins release us
- Let us find our rest in Thee
- Israel's strength and consolation
- Hope of all the earth Thou art
- Dear desire of every nation
- Joy of every longing heart
- Born Thy people to deliver
- Born a child and yet a King
- Born to reign in us forever
- Now Thy gracious kingdom bring
- By Thine own eternal spirit
- Rule in all our hearts alone
- By Thine all sufficient merit
- Raise us to Thy glorious throne
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