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The way of the Lord in faith

As Christians, we all try to live by faith. In fact, we are mandated and required to live by faith. It is a discipline that I struggle with time after time simply because my flesh is weak. However, I have found that the characters in the bible have many formulas and examples that we can use to become people of faith.

Reflecting on Samuel the Prophet and Judge of Israel, I found several qualities that the man of God professed:
  1. He answered God's call (at an early age)
  2. He served God with all his heart
  3. He held Yahweh in great awe and high esteem
  4. He feared God
  5. He was humble although given great power
  6. He always listened to God's voice.(Always consulted with him)
So therefore
  • We must listen to the voice of the Lord calling
  • We must answer Him.
  • We must serve Him with all our hearts
  • We must be humble despite receiving much from God
  • We must fear God, who made Heaven and Earth
  • We must consult God before anything
  • We must not break allegiance to our God, Yahweh
  • We must patiently wait for God's anointed time

In addition to the above points,what stood out most profoundly in his ministry was that he spoke about the dangers of having rulers and kings.In other words,he was the first to indirectly state that men cannot be ruler of themselves.
1 Samuel 8:5-18
So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”
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 claim as his rights.”
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. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle[c] and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.”
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.” www.biblegateway.com
Just imagine, Israel had the most high God fighting on their side,he took them out of slavery, gave them the promised land, food, security,prosperity and he even spoke to them directly.They had everything a nation could hope for but they chose to followed other nations.I believe Samuel was heartbroken for he pleaded with them, giving the disadvantages of being yoke to such system coming from the mouth of our lord.
In the end, Yahweh being perfectly fair gave them what they wanted although they had rejected him.What followed after is a history of kings leading their people to more sin and hardship with some exceptions. Only again with the intervention of perfect love that we will have our true King,Christ Jesus.

 I pray that our steps be guided by the holy spirit,so we will not lose sight of what is good and pure in our lives.I pray we will be given discernment so we would not fall prey to the disorderly passion of this world.I pray that we would remain humble and contented living out our lives in accordance to our true King, Jesus Christ.Amen.


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