When God is Not Enough

When God is not Enough
1 Samuel 8:5

They said to [Samuel]…” appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”

One of the strategies that advertisers use to get you to buy their product is to make you feel like everybody has it better than you. In reality, they expect you to feel less than your neighbors and even envious of their lives because you don’t have what they have. Why do they use this strategy? Because it works.

By the time Samuel became a judge over Israel, God’s people have had more ups and downs than a roller coaster at Six Flags. Since the day the Lord rescued them from Egypt, the people of Israel struggled to be faithful to God. They were tempted to be like the rest of the nations and followed after their gods numerous times. God was always faithful and merciful when they cried out to Him in despair. When Samuel was old, the elders of Israel came to him and said, “Give us a king so that we may be like the rest of the nations.” God instructed Samuel to explain to the people that by having an earthly king they would have to give up their lands, their crops, even their children to serve the king. The people did not listen. In 1 Samuel 8:7 God said “listen to the people… they have not rejected you, but me as king. As they have done from the day that I brought them up out of Egypt.” God was not enough for His people.

People have not changed much. As Christians, we often tell God “You are not enough.” Every time we chose to follow the world and its values we tell God “You are not enough.” When we look to our careers and success to satisfy our hearts we tell God “You are not enough.” When we grow tired of waiting on God and we take matters in our hands we tell God “You are not enough.” We look for purpose and satisfaction outside of God we are giving up what makes us truly special. We give up intimacy with the true living God. We give up our freedom to follow the steps of Jesus and become subjects to the gods of this world and their demands for our time and resources.

If you are a child of God, this world has nothing for you. Do not fall for the advertisements of a better life by imitating the world. Trust God. He wants you to experience the power, love, and mercy that is only found in Him.

Blessings,

Pastor Josue R Reyes
Hispanic Ministry | The Moody Church