“Be Like the Nations”

1 Samuel 8: 19, 20: “Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, ‘No, but there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.’” Why would the people make a choice like that? For the same reason we do: Because following a king is easy. He can be seen, and reasoned with, and argued with, and manipulated when necessary. To follow God is to walk by faith, and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5: 7). It is to follow His will and purpose, not our own. But if we would ever stop and notice – does the easy path lead to good results? The Israelites found out the hard way, and so will we, if we don’t wake up sooner or later.