What if ...
Today I picked up a bible study that I've started a million times over the last few years, but have yet to actually finish. The study of David by Beth Moore.
I was reading today in 1 Samuel 8 - Samuel was old and appointed his two sons to serve in his place. His boys were hooligans and the people wanted a different king. Samuel did what any follower of Christ should do at the first sign of chaos - he prayed. God told him to tell the people of all of these things that would happen if they got a new king: higher taxes, they'd lose freedom, and basically end up as slaves. Even after Samuel told them this.. they basically said "Who cares! Give us a king! Other nations have them, we want one too!" Again, Samuel cried out to the Lord... and God said (paraphrased of course), "Ok fine... give them what they want. Can't say we didn't warn them."
I find myself wrapped up in this story saying, "Israel... are you people idiots?" Samuel has clearly laid out for them what will happen if they proceed in their course of action. He has told them very specifically what their future holds. Yet... they dont care. I can't help but stop and ask myself... how many times do we all do this? Every day! God has so clearly laid out for us in His word numerous consequences to our disobedience. And for those who dont think the Bible is as relevant today... how many times have we seen with our own eyes or experienced ourselves consequences of sin. We know what happens when people get addicted to drugs or alcohol. We know what it looks like when a man forsakes his wife - or visa versa. We know what happens when teenagers disobey their parents and stay out later than they should or even when little children just want to have ice cream all the time. We "know" the consequences of our actions... but we don't seem to care. Why is that? Isn't it amazing how powerful the will of self is?
Beth Moore adds this quote to the end of the study..
"God had already planned a king (David) for the people. Their lack of patience was to cost them dearly. If they had waited for the Lord's choice instead of demanding their way, how different might the story have been?"
When I read that statement.. I just stopped. If they would have waited... how might their lives have been different? I think of all the choices I've made over the last 27 years of my life... and many times when I've given way to self - or just didn't want to wait. How would my life be different now? Yes I believe God works out ALL things to the good of those who love him... but how much pain and suffering could I have been spared? What would be different? We can't turn back time. But we can learn from our history and we can learn from the stories of other's lives.
"Often when God does not readily give us what we want, it is because He knows what our desire would cost us. Faith sometimes means forgoing our desires because we trust Christ to have a better plan for our lives."
I was reading today in 1 Samuel 8 - Samuel was old and appointed his two sons to serve in his place. His boys were hooligans and the people wanted a different king. Samuel did what any follower of Christ should do at the first sign of chaos - he prayed. God told him to tell the people of all of these things that would happen if they got a new king: higher taxes, they'd lose freedom, and basically end up as slaves. Even after Samuel told them this.. they basically said "Who cares! Give us a king! Other nations have them, we want one too!" Again, Samuel cried out to the Lord... and God said (paraphrased of course), "Ok fine... give them what they want. Can't say we didn't warn them."
I find myself wrapped up in this story saying, "Israel... are you people idiots?" Samuel has clearly laid out for them what will happen if they proceed in their course of action. He has told them very specifically what their future holds. Yet... they dont care. I can't help but stop and ask myself... how many times do we all do this? Every day! God has so clearly laid out for us in His word numerous consequences to our disobedience. And for those who dont think the Bible is as relevant today... how many times have we seen with our own eyes or experienced ourselves consequences of sin. We know what happens when people get addicted to drugs or alcohol. We know what it looks like when a man forsakes his wife - or visa versa. We know what happens when teenagers disobey their parents and stay out later than they should or even when little children just want to have ice cream all the time. We "know" the consequences of our actions... but we don't seem to care. Why is that? Isn't it amazing how powerful the will of self is?
Beth Moore adds this quote to the end of the study..
"God had already planned a king (David) for the people. Their lack of patience was to cost them dearly. If they had waited for the Lord's choice instead of demanding their way, how different might the story have been?"
When I read that statement.. I just stopped. If they would have waited... how might their lives have been different? I think of all the choices I've made over the last 27 years of my life... and many times when I've given way to self - or just didn't want to wait. How would my life be different now? Yes I believe God works out ALL things to the good of those who love him... but how much pain and suffering could I have been spared? What would be different? We can't turn back time. But we can learn from our history and we can learn from the stories of other's lives.
"Often when God does not readily give us what we want, it is because He knows what our desire would cost us. Faith sometimes means forgoing our desires because we trust Christ to have a better plan for our lives."
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