Tuesday, May 11 1Samuel 10-Put in my place.

Two thoughts tumble about as I contemplate this reading.

The first is how we as humans are a mixed bag of emotions and motivations. Saul hides from the people as he is chosen to be king. Saul shows timidity, fear, self-consciousness, possibly other emotions all suggesting humility. Then in the last sentence Saul apparently keeps a record of all people who despised him and didn’t bring him gifts (27), suggesting arrogance and entitlement. We humans are a mixed bag, ; some good, some bad and everything in between.

Secondly, Verse 24: Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see the man the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people." Then the people shouted, "Long live the king!" Since I know that Saul will fail and become a king bent on evil, I wonder why God would choose a king like this for His people? Why would God choose a king that will fail His chosen people. ? All kinds of possible reasons tumble in my thoughts… . Was it a punishment for rejecting God as king? Did God simply give them the king they wanted… , just like all the other nations? And so on.

I am left this morning dancing the dance of faith. First, I am no great gift to humanity. At best I am a mixed bag with some good motivations and some ornery ones and a lot in between. Elizabeth Elliot was correct, “The best we can hope for is mixed motives.”

Then I balance that with the fact that I will never perfectly understand God’s ways. His ways are higher than mine (Is 55). And there are things about the sovereign will of God that I just have to submit to and continue to obey. I will never understand fully all things this side of eternity. Mine is to obey whether I understand or not.

O, God, forgive my sinful ways, my sinful motivations and grace me with Your Holy Spirit, that despite my failure and sin-stained nature I might obey Your leadings and Your ways, no matter what… . Tto the glory of Your name. Amen.

 

Addendum to the morning’s comments: I continued to think about today’s reading throughout my day and here are some further thoughts that emerged:

There are just those days when God puts me in my place and reminds me that I am not as good as I pretend I am and that I don’t understand His ways, . He is so much higher than I am. As I have mused and thought about today’s reading throughout the day, I have realized that today is one of those days when I have to face my own mixed motives and my own humanity. I am a sinner and I want things my way.

Also, today I had to face the truth that I don’t fully understand the ways of the Lord. How God could choose Saul is beyond me, .  However, but God is sovereign, not me.  and I have to bend to Him and to His will and never ‘make God” bend to me or my will.

Such were my continued musings from 1Samuel 10.