Monday 9th October
Less than God’s best
This week we continue to examine the origins of Israel’s monarchy. Israel was asking for something that was not God’s best for them – a king. Yet God gives it to them anyway. That raises a challenging question for us: how is it possible to find God’s will after we have made mistakes in life. This will be explored over the next few weeks.
Occasionally we are led to support someone who has a dilemma- they loved God but wanted to go in a direction they really knew was inconsistent with the Bible and God’s holy word. How do we respond? We don’t want to be judgemental but at the same time don’t want to mislead. Perhaps, therefore, what we need to say is: ‘I just think that would be less than God’s best for you.’ And this is similar to today’s passage. We see Israel is moving in a direction that’s not completely pleasing to God (v 17 – 19). Yet they anoint Saul king anyway.
How should we deal with the less than God’s best situations in our lives? First, we must recognise that since the fall everything on earth is less than God’s best. But because of God’s grace, one mistake does not condemn us to destruction. We all live with consequences of our mistakes and sin. The state of our society today is clear evidence of this! Yet as Christians we can be encouraged that God knows what we are like and still forgives us. Then God doesn’t give up on us even if we are not always spot on in the centre of His will. So God was still with Saul and the Spirit continued working in his life (see v 6 -11 from last week).
But that’s not to say that less than God’s best is where we should stay. When we fall short of God’s will we must repent and do our best to move back in His direction. This is what makes this episode a bittersweet moment for Saul – hearing the people shout ‘long live the king’ (v 24) must have been a high point in his life. The story, however, is not going to end well for Saul. God loves us in spite of our often less than best nature and response to Him – but He wants us to become more like Jesus. That’s the direction we should be moving in each day.
Time to reflect…
Is there a less-than-God’s-best part of your life? What would it mean for you to start becoming more like Jesus?
Pause to pray…
Paul wrote to the Philippians: ‘Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.’
Use these words to pray that this may apply to you today
Amen
