Read

1 Samuel 8:21-22, “When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the Lord. The Lord answered, ‘Listen to them and give them a king.’”

Think

The Israelites, disillusioned and dissatisfied with foreign oppression, cried out to God for a king. Despite the harsh consequences of having adopted the immoral practices of neighboring nations, they missed the obvious: God was their King! Yet, surprisingly, God granted their misguided request. Unfortunately, they’d soon discover that #WeWantAKingToo wasn’t necessarily the cure-all they’d hoped for.

So often we do the same thing. Think how silly some of our requests must seem to God. Like asking for a bandaid to cover a shark bite, we look for quick fixes to life’s problems. However, rarely do temporary solutions lead to comprehensive cures. The only solution to every situation is found when we fix our focus on the King of Kings, Jesus Christ! He may not always provide what we think is the answer, but He will always respond with exactly what we need. #WeHaveTheKing!

Act

Who is running your life? Are you, like the Israelites, looking around rather than looking up? Ask yourself if you are more interested in the advice of others than you are in seeking God’s discernment. If that is the case, start looking up more than around.

Pray

Lord give me the right perspective in every situation. Help me realize that though you use others to meet my needs and give me direction, I need to first look to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.