Be Careful What You Ask for pt2

1st Samuel 8:10-18

10. So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked him for a king. 11 And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. 12 He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. 14 And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. 16 And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest [a]young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants. 18 And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord will not hear you in that day.”

Quickword: Be Careful What You Ask for pt2

Yesterday we briefly looked at the preceding verses in 1st Samuel 8. The verses highlighted the elders of Israel request to the prophet Samuel to give them a king. Samuel goes to God in prayer and God tells Samuel that the people are not rejecting him but they are rejecting God. Here in 2024, there are a great number of persons in America who are seeking if not a king but a president who aligns with what they believe. There is a craving to return to a by gone day. Beloved it, be careful what you ask for. God reveals unto Samuel the consequences of desiring such a leader. The emphasis of the text is that leader will take: He will take your sons and daughters, He will take your fields, vineyards and possessions and give to his servants. He will take your male and female servants, he will take all that he can acquire for his own. Be careful for what we ask for; for when these actions occur and we call on God, the text tells us the Lord will not hear the outcry against your king/president. My brothers and sisters, I write only what the Spirit speaks to me. There is a clarion call to the believers in God to hear and heed his voice. Do not be deceived by what you hear from the left and right political parties or media. Seek the Lord while he maybe found. Make decisions based on your relationship with the almighty. The Lord will judge all of us according to His divine grace and mercy. Be careful what we ask for.

Let’s pray: Dear God in Heaven, I come before your presence asking that you move on the hearts of your people. God I ask that you open our eyes, ears and hearts to see and hear from you. I pray that you will intervene in the diviviciness that permeates throughout this land. God I know that you are sovereign and nothing catches you by surprise. Let your truth rise about the evil desires of humanity. Forgive us of our sins in the name of Jesus. Amen!