1 Samuel 8:7-8, "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. 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.'"

Think

Being the last kid chosen when their classmates are picking sides, being the only one excluded from a social event, or being left for another person – the pain of rejection is real. It hurts. And every one of us has experienced that deep inner-ache within our hearts. Samuel was hand-selected by God to lead Israel, and under his leadership, the nation experienced several decades of peace. So, imagine how awful it must have felt when the Israelites insisted on having a king to lead them. Reeling from rejection, Samuel prayed, and God answered. There are two important takeaways from the Lord's response in today's reading. First, God consoles us by bringing clarity to the situation. And, second, God identifies with our pain. Throughout history, humans have rejected God, yet he is still willing to accept us. Even as people shouted, "Crucify him" Jesus' heart was set on paving the way for our acceptance into the family of God. The ultimate rejection – Jesus' death on the cross – leads to the ultimate reception – eternal life! Have you accepted Christ?

Act

Every day, we have the opportunity to turn toward God or turn away from him. Take inventory of what you need to reject in order to protect the time you spend with God. Look at your schedule and find at least a few minutes every day to acknowledge him as your king. (Doing this devotional helps to accomplish that!)

Pray

Dear Lord, thank you for accepting me despite my past rejection of you. I take comfort in knowing that you understand how I feel in every situation. Help me to extend the same love you have shown me, to others. In Jesus' name, Amen.