Monday, January 19, 2009

Give Us A King to Lead Us

My husband Randy has always been a political junkie. A speech, debate or political convention demands that all life in our household come to a silent pause as he hangs on every word, listening to the nuances, savoring the text followed by the analysis from the political pundits. Uuuhhhhhggggg!

As someone who sits back and listens, watches, taking it in, there are some things that have really concerned me. Yesterday I pulled out an old Beth Moore study, "A Heart Like His" and began to re-do lesson one. It was no coincidence that it led me to read 1 Samuel chapters 8-11. As I began to read chapter 8 something just leaped right off of the page.

Samuel the Priest & Prophet of God, Judge over Israel was getting along in years. As an old man he appointed his sons as judges for Israel. But they were not like their father. Instead they were dishonest in their judgments. They accepted bribes and perverted justice for their own personal gain. So the elders of Israel gathered together with Samuel and said, "Hey, this just isn't working out!"
5 They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.

What a sad day for the nation of Israel. They were "God's chosen people". He was their King! He still is the King of King and Lord of Lords! And yet, they would rather be like all the other nations. Just like everyone else.
6 But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do."

As I watch the news and all of the festivities going on around our nation, I have to wonder if we as Americans have done the same thing. Day after day we see further evidence of America snubbing its noses in the face of a Holy God. We look to Presidents and Senators to get us out of the pit that we have fallen into as a nation. We believe that our elected officials have all of the answers that will "fix" the economy, "fix" our nation, "fix" our schools, "fix" our jobs, "fix" our families and get us going in the right direction again. No man, woman or king can do all of these things.

Instead of standing in the streets crying out, "Give us a King", we as a nation need to fall on our faces before a Holy God and cry out, "Father forgive us for we have sinned." How long will we look to mortal men to rescue us when what we as Americans need is a Savior?

President-elect Obama will tomorrow place his hand on the Lincoln Bible and take his oath of office. He will be handed over the responsibility of leading this great nation for the next four years. But unless he leads us to be "One Nation Under God", I can say with all certainty that he will be leading us in the wrong direction.

The United States of America does need a King! Revelation 19:16 describes Him as "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." His name is JESUS! For only Jesus can save His people from their sins. Please joing me in praying for our new President and Congress.

"The only way up and out of this situation is FACE DOWN!" - Beth Moore -

7 comments:

Patty said...

Lisa, I loved this post!! Amen!!!

God has been dealing with me for a couple of years that HE is my security and no one else is supposed to be my security. I have learned this lesson through cancer, divorce, living with my brother and he lost his job etc... and I echo what you said about no one, no President, or government can fix anything ....only God!!!

Thank you for sharing this today.
Have a great Monday!
Blessings,
Patty

Beth Herring said...

Oh, Lisa. You said what I wish I could have said! Yes - we need to get face down and quit looking for others to save us. We need to save ourselves by getting face down with Christ!

Hope you have a great day,
Beth

Stephanie said...

This is so true Lisa, we as Christians need to pray for our nation and all the appointed officials
Matthew 18:19
"Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask,it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.

Yolanda said...

AMEN and AMEN..we do not need a king, for we have a KING. We are setting ourselves up, in my opinion for an idol...a false god.

Lord, Have MERCY on us!!!

LisaShaw said...

Lisa, I saw you on Higher Grounds blog and the fact that we shared a name caused me to come on over and visit only to find out we think very similiarly on this subject. Throughout the election I was drawn back to Samuel for the same reasons.

Our nation in so many ways (and the world) has removed GOD ALMIGHTY from the details and that is why we see the DECLINE in so many ways (morally, economically, etc.) and we must repent and turn to the LORD and stop worshipping at the feet of 'man' but only at the feet of JESUS.

God bless you.

Marilyn in Mississippi said...

Amen Lisa! Your post sounded so much like our pastor's sermon yesterday morning! His title was "The Hope of America". He said that 2 Chronicles 7: 14 ("If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, adn turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.") is our hope. That is God's people won't get right, then there's no hope for the rest of the nation. I believe that.

May God bless America again!

Marilyn

Jane said...

Hi Lisa,

I really appreciated this article. I don't consider myself a political junkie, but do want to be alert and sober in these days, when "evil is called good and good evil". I enjoy reading your blog. God bless you.

Renee in NC