Scripture

Our verse for today comes from 1 Samuel 12:12, “And when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when the Lord your God was your king.”

Background

The Christmas season does a lot of things to us, doesn’t it? Once December rolls around, things begin happening to us that we seem to have no control over. Our mood and attitude improve, we want to listen to Christmas music, and we tend to adopt a more generous spirit regarding our fellow man. The season also reveals some things about us as well. It might be our love for stuff or the newness of stuff. It could be an appreciation we have been missing for someone who is close to us. Or perhaps it is the sad reality of another year gone by where we have treated Jesus like another one of our apps on our phone. When the Israelites realized that Nahash and the Ammonites were coming for them, it revealed something about them, too. Although God had led them and fought for them, when the time came and the situation was just right, the Israelites wanted a king to reign over them. Although God was their king, the truth about them was that they wanted a different king to rule over them. And even though Samuel warned them what it was going to be like for a human king to rule them, they would not change their mind. It was as if the seasons had run their course, and now was the time to serve under a new king. No amount of warning was going to deter them.

Application

How similar we are to the Israelites of that day. We hear sermon after sermon calling us to this and warning us about that, but what effect does it have on us? Christmas comes, and we know what it’s really about, but we can’t get our eyes off of the shiny and sparkly things so we can focus on the greatest gift. Peace and goodwill are preached, but our hearts still feel anxiety and unrest. Carols are sung of joy and redemption, but some other king is lording over us. It’s a challenging time of year, to be celebrating such love yet be reminded of our fractured allegiances. But let’s not be discouraged. He knows we are imperfect subjects. So let the season do its glorious work on you. And when you get off track, come back to your King, who is also your Savior.

Charge

As we seek Him today, let Christmas be a moving force in your heart, moving you away from yourself and closer to the One who came for you. And worship the King rather than the trinkets of your kingdom.

Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words