The Scriptures

10 Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots...
19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a kingover us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”
1 Samuel 8

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
Matt 7.24-27

The Perspective

In this season of political change, this basic human tendency seems to take center stage: we tend to lean on and put our hopes in man. We look for human leadership to fulfill a longing that only God in His supremacy and perfection can deliver. 1 Samuel 8 tells how Israel did it with king Saul. They wanted what the world had. A person to be King over them, overlooking the power of the God of their forefathers. Something that needed less faith. But God says that it takes faith to please Him.

The attitudes, reactions and emotions from people on both sides of today's political spectrum can easily betray our human tendency to put our hope in man. One side rejoicing as their hopes seem realized, and the other equally devastated and overwhelmed by fear. Both potentially not realizing that they have potentially placed hopes or fears upon man, allowing their own reliance and dependence to be set on what scripture calls shifting sand - anything other than the Rock of Christ.

The Music

Consider the call of this seasoned song of worship

You are God in heaven
And here am I on earth
So I’ll let my words be few
Jesus, I am so in love with You

"Let My Words Be Few" by Matt & Beth Redman

The Challenge

As you listen and worship through this song, may you never forget that no matter what happens in this world, we do have a leader. He is perfect. He is just. He is a gentleman. He cares for the poor and needy, the widows and the orphans. And He is the Lord of the harvest. For He is forever on the throne and both fear and earthly hope have no bearing on those that seek first His kingdom and sit under His Lordship.