Samuel: Day 3

DAY 3: Israel Asks for a King

Have you ever gone along with the choices of others, even though something deep within you knew it wouldn’t be wise to do so? 

Throughout the story of the Old Testament, it’s clear that God had called Israel to be different. His desire for His people was that they would rely on Him and Him alone as their God, Lord, and King. In 1 Samuel 8:5, the people came to Samuel and said, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”

All in all, their desire to have a king was not wrong, but the reason they wanted a king was wrong. They wanted to be like the other nations surrounding them, even though God had called them to be different from all other nations. In short, the people of God decided it would be better to build their nation under the rule of a king than it would be to build their nation under the rule of God. 

As you read today, consider this: From where do your values and/or decisions come from? (Is it pleasing others? Working hard? Physical appearance? Something else?) Or do your greatest values truly come from God? 

READING & JOURNALING:

     1 SAMUEL 8:1-22

From where do your values and/or decisions come from? (Is it pleasing others? Working hard? Physical appearance? Something else?) Or do your greatest values truly come from God? 

Why do you think the people of Israel wanted to be like other nations?  

F260 READING: (A Scripture Reading Plan for Busy Believers)

Read: Genesis 6 & 7

Journal: Write it out. Following the pattern from 7 Arrows (click here) what did you learn from today’s reading?

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, Today I acknowledge that even thought I may not regularly think about what I most value in life, I recognize that I live and act based on what I most value. Like the people of Israel, I, too have valued things which are insignificant to You. So today I simply pray that You will reveal to me the things that are most important to You. May these also become what’s most important to me. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.