But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you. 1 Samuel 12:24 NLT
Have you ever made a demand of God but then regretted your prayer when it was answered? Without seeing the big picture, we can be quite demanding with our little piece of the puzzle! On the contrary, I can count many times of falling on my knees before God with a request, but then was eternally grateful when God’s will trumped mine.
Israel had refused to heed Samuel’s warning, and they were about to get a taste of what they had really been asking for.
As you read chapter 12 today, consider your prayer life. Do you really trust God’s infallible direction for your life? When your prayers are not answered the way you had hoped, do you trust that God’s will is always better? His perspective is infinitely broader that ours, and He works everything out for our good. Sometimes, however, He may give us just what we asked for so that when we realize our mistake, as Israel is about to do, we will learn to trust Him and surrender to His perfect will.
Read 1 Samuel 12.
Samuel is making his retirement speech and handing over leadership of Israel to its new king, King Saul. As any great leader would do before leaving his post, he is tying up all loose ends and making sure the transition is smooth and successful.
His first order of business is to make sure he is leaving on the best of terms. If he has wronged anyone in any way, he pledges to make restitution. However, everyone hails him as a great leader and insists he owes no one any recompense.
Samuel then recounts the history of God’s goodness to the people of Israel since He led them out of slavery in Egypt. Yet, he also reminds them of the times they turned away from the Lord and payed severe consequences. God had delivered them into the hands of their enemies at times they had been unfaithful in order to restore their hearts and renew their relationship with Him. Each time they had been oppressed by their enemies, and they cried out to God, He always came through for them by sending a judge to lead them to victory and safety.
This time, however, when they were afraid of King Nahash, they demanded God give them a king instead of a judge. No matter how Samuel tried to persuade them, they refused to pay attention. Therefore, God gave them what they asked for.
As Samuel narrated the recent events to the Israelites, he closed with a dramatic finish. He had warned them sternly that they must obey the Lord, but if they rebel, God’s hand will be as heavy on them as it had been on their ancestors before them. He then called on God to send thunder and rain.
As the thunder boomed and crashed, and the rain poured down like buckets, the people were terrified. They had dismissed the power of the Lord before, and now they were seeing it firsthand. They suddenly began to tremble with regret for their evil rebellion of begging for a king when it was against God’s plan for them. They were already regretting the demands they had made before God.
They began calling out to Samuel to plead for forgiveness for them.
He responds by telling them to not be afraid. If they surrender to God now, they will be OK. They must commit to being faithful to God and never turn to worthless idols again. God will be perpetually faithful because He loves His chosen people with an everlasting love.
What a wonderful promise with which to end today’s lesson! We can count on the same promises that God made to Israel that day for ourselves. He will never leave us nor forsake us. However, while He is a God of grace and love, we are warned that consequences will always follow our choices. We must be obedient to walk in the fullness of God’s blessings for our lives, but when we rebel, we can be sure He will send consequences to lead us back on the path. Don’t despise the Lord’s discipline because He disciplines those He loves, and He loves you more than you will ever know!
