LIKE OTHERS

• DAY 157
• FAITH FILE: The Israelites
• SCRIPTURES: 1 Samuel 8:4-7

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.

Wherever the word like is used as an adjective it most likely implies that comparison has entered the equation. In our society today, that word is thrown around and has caused much pressure and anxiety. But the word isn’t bad in itself, it is the intent and motive of the user that determines its classification as either good or bad. In our text today, that word is not only bad but sinful.

The children of Isreal decided that they no longer wanted to remain the way that God intended for them, they wanted to be like the other nations of the world. The fact that these nations were disobedient to God, didn’t count. Some of these nations they wanted to be like were part of their inheritance and they should have been conquered already. Not to mention that some of these nations were so afraid and envious of Israel that they wanted them gone. Yet, Israel could only focus on the fact that they had kings.

It’s Better Over There

This is called the greener grass syndrome. Google describes it as the inability to be content with your life as it is, and the relentless desire for something better. Does that sound familiar?

How many times have you disregarded something you have because of something someone else has that you want? Or maybe it is not because of someone else, it’s just that you want something else, something better and you are no longer content with what you have. Do you know that discontentment is outside the realms of faith and therefore it is fear? Psychologists believe that discontentment causes depression, anxiety and a decline in mental well-being. How much more will it affect our spiritual well-being?

God is Enough

When we crave for something outside what God has given us what we are telling Him is that He made a wrong decision. What He offered us is not good enough and we would prefer if He withheld His unpleasant gift. God considers it rejection. The Israelites forgot that God called them to be separate. They were the city whose builder and founder was God. God was their companion in battle and their ruler. He was their judge, their king, their provider and the fear of Isreal. All that they wanted He was and all that they craved they already had in Him.

Beloved, God doesn’t want you to be like anyone else. If He wanted you to have what they had, He would have given it to you. Your life and theirs and not the same and chances are that the thing you crave, He has already provided it in Himself. You might already have a better version of what they have but it just doesn’t look like it. Let us not reject our Lord in pursuit of our idols. God is all we need.

Pray

Take a moment to praise God for all you have. And if you need to repent of despising what he provided, now is a good time to repent and thank Him for what He has already provided. I pray for you that you will not desire anything outside of what God has given you. Amen.

Shalom