When it’s hard for us to follow God’s commands, what do we do?
Saul was quick to make up his own plan when it was difficult to follow God’s.
He had a hard time even recognizing that he was off course. That’s a bad spot to be in.
God’s commands haven’t gotten any easier for us:
- Don’t give up meeting together – but we’re so busy…
- Do not look lustfully – but there’s so much temptation…
- Go and make disciples – but people will think I’m weird…
- Love one another – but he’s so different from me…
Put some thought into this. Where have you made your own plan? Where do you need to surrender to God again regardless of how scary, or difficult, or unpopular your surrender may be?
When it comes down to it we have to make the same choice that Saul had to make. We have to decide who’s the greater king? Is it us or is it the living God? Who has a better plan? When you’re sitting in church it’s so easy to say that God has a better plan. But when you’re out there on the battlefield, making real time decisions, it’s much more difficult to listen to God’s plan. If you’ve ever wondered why you have daily times with God, or regular times of fellowship, this is it. Even if you aren’t “feeling it” in the moment when you practice those things regularly, you are building up resiliency so you can make better choices than Israel’s first king.
Additional Resources:
In This episode, we delve into the profound topic of spiritual leadership by examining the life of Saul, the first king of Israel. We also discuss the inherent dangers of elevating kings and leaders, as warned by Yahweh, and how Saul’s lack of humility and spirituality led to his downfall. This episode highlights the critical distinction between worldly leadership and spiritual guidance and explores the continuing relevance of these lessons in modern faith communities. Join us as we navigate through 1 Samuel chapters 8-15, understanding Yahweh’s intentions, the people’s desire for a king, and the spiritual implications of Saul’s actions. Topics Discussed:
- Differences between kingship and spiritual leadership
- Yahweh’s warnings about kings
- Saul’s rise to power
- Community’s search for security in strong leaders
- Risks of elevating leaders above others