1 Samuel 8
Samuel's starting to get old so he appoints his sons as judges.
His greedy, money hungry, sons.
They're nothing like their father and Israel's sees right through them, they want nothing to do with them. Instead, they request a king so "they can be just like other nations".
Samuel's really upset. Heartbroken, he goes before God for advise. God's reply touches my heart, for it gives me a glimpse into His:
"Do as they say, for it's me they're rejecting. They don't want ME as their king anymore. Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually forsaken me and followed other gods." (8:7-8)
Ugh! It's too bad the Israelites didn't have giant shoes so they could have just kicked God in the mighty stomach! How sad! A loving father, being rejected by his children.
I have two kids, myself. One's a teen and the other a young adult. I admit I tend to get upset when they take me for granted. I feel a little sorry for myself, go hide in a corner and lick my wounds hoping no one someone will notice.
How much more would the sting of rejection be! MY children? Turning their back on me? After ALL I've done for them?
I can only imagine the grief God felt.
God still loves them and He does what any loving parent would do - he urges Samuel to send warnings of how a king will treat them.
But....Israel still wants a king.
They still want to be like other nations.
Once again, I see myself mirrored in an entire nation.
Everyday, there's a struggle within me over who I am....why can't I be like everyone else? Why can't I sing like the worship leader? It's not fair that my house isn't as nice as my friend's. I wish I were bold like that person? If only I were more soft spoken like that lady.
It's as though I size myself up upon entering a room, comparing myself to everyone around me....at least in some small way. Couldn't I just have the best parts of everyone all wrapped up...in me?
Prideful much? Really though, that's what insecurity is. It's a form of pride! I'm basically saying, the person who God created me to be, isn't good enough.
God had a wonderful plan for the Israelites - but they rejected His plan and came up with their own - so they can be just like everyone else.
"Lord, help me to be happy with who I am, exactly who I am. More importantly, help me see who I am going to become, through you. I pray that I will spend my energy being the best me, fulfilling the plans and purpose you have for me instead of striving to be something that I am not."
Judges 10 - 21
This book is like a merry go round! Same journey every time, different horse (translation: judge). It goes like this:
Israel does evil in the sight of the Lord. They are overcome by their enemies, God rescues them by raising up a judge. They live in peace until that judge dies.
But eventually, God reaches the end of His mighty rope. He's done. He tells them, "you've abandoned Me, serving other gods." (10:13) and announces that He's never going to rescue them again. He told them to cry out to their "gods" to rescue the, next time, in their hour of distress!
As a parent of a teenager, I can relate. "That's right, God! You tell 'em! They've turned their back on you one too many times! It's time to show them who's boss!"
But the Israelites pleaded.
"....and God was grieved by their misery." (10:16)
Again, I can relate.
The love of a parent is like no other. It doesn't matter how many times our children mess up. We always want to give them another chance. Another opportunity to change.
To obey.
To love.
So, God sends more judges and one of them is Samson.
"Hey, I know the story of Samson! Or at least a little something about him. He's the guy that grows his hair really long and gets his power from it, right?"
Kind of.
The "daily walk" bible describes his life "a study of unfulfilled potential."
How sad. God blesses Samson with superhuman strength and commissions him to rescue Israel from the Philistines, but Samson spends most of his life chasing his own passions - mostly women.
He ultimately ends up blind and in bondage. The bible says, "the Lord, had left him." (16:20)
Eventually, he comes to the place where he places full surrender of his life to God.
He prays, "Sovereign Lord, remember me again!" (16:28)
God, gives him one last portion of power and in his death Samson destroys more Philistines than during his entire life of compromise.
In the end, Samson embraced the power of love and rejected the love of power.
And once again, God proved to be faithful.
Lev 8-20
"If you obey my laws and regulations, you will find life through them. I am the Lord."
- Leviticus 18:5
My Daily Walk bibles asks, "Are you transformed by godliness or conformed to worldliness?"
I wondered, can you be both? Then I read the next sentence, "or are you deformed by trying to be both?
It went on to suggest a list of areas in my life in which I may be too much of a conformist so I did.
I ended up with a list that revealed just how deformed I am, most of which will remain in my personal journal. They ranged from the TV programs/movies that I watched to sacrificing my time with God for other activities.
Could my shirts be a little more modest?
What about the "questionable" jokes that I laugh at so I won't offend the person telling them?
Every single thing that was on that list, is something I can change NOW. They are actions - something I can do or control, myself, to be one step closer to being fully transformed into the likeness of Christ.
There are other things that take time to change - having more compassion, self-control, resisting thoughts of jealousy or judgment - those things will come through prayer, trials and practice. These are issues of the heart and mind.
How can I expect to be renewed in my heart and mind, if, by my actions I am conformed to the world?
The truth is, I can't. I can't walk in perfect harmony with the world and expect to be transformed into God's character. It can't be done.
I can pretend. But who wants to be deformed?
I heard a quote once and God brought it to mind today. I think it's very fitting.
"A person can't go anywhere while they are straddling a fence."
