Living in the Spirit
June 2, 2015
Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 8:4-20
But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; they said, ‘No! but we are determined to have a king over us, so that we also may be like other nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles.’ –1 Samuel 8:4-20
The people called for a king to fight their battles for them without the presence of forethought to realize that they would be the ones conscripted to do the fighting. The prophets often quote God as saying something to the effect, “You closed your ears to me.” The people of Israel had just heard Samuel’s speech regarding the cost of a kingship and it did not matter.
There is a lot of failure to heed wise advice going around throughout the world. From texting while driving to over indulging in sugar and trans fat, we personally do not accept responsibility for our own wellbeing. Our scorn of the poor targeted at saving a few dollars in tax spending is dark comedy when Congress wants to fund the Department of Defense with millions more dollars than requested in its budget.
I have been reading Joan Chittister’s book The Ten Commandments, laws of the Heart. Her treatment of the second commandment really got my attention. My childhood take on, “Do not take the name of the Lord in vain” was basically not to swear. But no, Chittister asserts we should not call on the Lord when we know in our hearts what we are demanding is not something the God of love would even consider. We are wasting God’s time and our own—my words not hers.
We are called to a lifetime quest to know God. Hearing does not mean we have listened. Listening does not mean we have learned unless we live what God speaks to us.
Prayer: Lord, enable us to give ear to your teaching, let in immerse our souls, and be reflected in our lives. Amen.