I have lived long enough on earth to serve under various leaders in God’s Church.  When God led the leader; miraculous acts of God happened among the people. When the leader led others leaders with him to listen and do what God says for that will be the best way to live; God is pleased and the outreach of His church phenomenally and exponentially grows!  After the workshops and seminars teaching us how to grow a church are all said and done; it is truly God in us, leading us, to accomplish the real work of pointing people to Jesus.  Most people were drawn to Jesus, hanging on every word He spoke, when he walked the earth and most people are still drawn to Him now when they hear how Jesus demonstrated the love of God in the most humble ways!

Our response to God’s love and leading, whether we lead or we are led, must be complete surrender to what God wants, in His timing, for our good and His glory. This is a discipline of daily offering ourselves to Him. (Romans 12:1-2)  Because, when we know God’s will with a willing heart of trust and readiness to obey; God’s power to accomplish overwhelms us.  It is God’s Holy Spirit living and working in us who drives us to relentlessly and lovingly to accomplish all He has given to us to be and then do.

Saul’s strength and resolve as the first King of Israel chosen by God were tested soon after he was anointed by Samuel. Though some doubted whether Saul, the farmer of animals, should be king, he acted to rescue Jabesh Gilead and united his people against the Ammonites. These events confirmed for the people his place as king and affirmed Saul’s commitment to God. After this first major battle; Samuel reminds all God’s people to stay close to the Lord.  Give God the glory, not the leader!

1 Samuel 11

Saul Rescues the City of Jabesh

Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty with us, and we will be subject to you.”

² But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace on all Israel.”

³ The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days so we can send messengers throughout Israel; if no one comes to rescue us, we will surrender to you.”

⁴ When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and reported these terms to the people, they all wept aloud. ⁵ Just then Saul was returning from the fields, behind his oxen, and he asked, “What is wrong with everyone? Why are they weeping?” Then they repeated to him what the men of Jabesh had said.

⁶ When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he burned with anger. ⁷ He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel, proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel.” Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out together as one. ⁸ When Saul mustered them at Bezek, the men of Israel numbered three hundred thousand and those of Judah thirty thousand.

⁹ They told the messengers who had come, “Say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘By the time the sun is hot tomorrow, you will be rescued.’” When the messengers went and reported this to the men of Jabesh, they were elated. ¹⁰ They said to the Ammonites, “Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you can do to us whatever you like.”

¹¹ The next day Saul separated his men into three divisions; during the last watch of the night they broke into the camp of the Ammonites and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

Saul Confirmed as King

¹² The people then said to Samuel, “Who was it that asked, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Turn these men over to us so that we may put them to death.”

¹³ But Saul said, “No one will be put to death today, for this day the Lord has rescued Israel.”

¹⁴ Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingship.” ¹⁵ So all the people went to Gilgal and made Saul king in the presence of the Lord. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings before the Lord, and Saul and all the Israelites held a great celebration.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

It is easy and natural to first give pats on the backs of leaders in front of us who look good, talk passionately, stir our hearts to actions while delivering God’s promises without first giving glory to God. But we, too must keep our focus on our God who led them to be His great leaders for our good and His glory!

Samuel was a great leader who lived humbly and spoke only what God told him to say.  When God did what He said, Samuel was revered; even when what God said startled them with severe warnings if they did not follow Him.  Samuel knew the people had sinned, but he still encouraged them to move forward in faith, for God would be with them. Samuel’s consistent reminder to the people then that the Lord alone was their God and that they should worship and follow him alone is just as vital to our relationship with God today!

“Stay focused on God” is the message of all God’s prophets and Spirit-led leaders down through the ages of time!  Why? Because we are the focus of God’s attention who loved us so very much, He sent His One and Only Son to redeem us, pay the debt we owed for all our sins.  Jesus did this willingly and obediently so that our relationship with God could be restored, repaired, reconciled, and reconnected! Living life with God is revitalizing and remarkable in our rebirth that opens our eyes to His glory at work in ways that are beyond our wildest imaginations!

Max Lucado gives this encouraging perspective of God’s focus on us;

“’Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever’ (Psalm 23:6 NKJV).  This must be one of the sweetest phrases ever penned.

Goodness and mercy—the celestial escort of God’s flock. If that duo doesn’t reinforce your faith, try this phrase: “all the days of my life.”  What a huge statement. Look at the size of it! Goodness and mercy follow the child of God each and every day! Think of the days that lie ahead. What do you see? Days at home with only toddlers? God will be at your side. Days in a dead-end job? He will walk you through. Days of loneliness? He will take your hand. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me—not some, not most, not nearly all—but all the days of my life.

And what will he do during those days? (Here is my favorite word.) He will “follow” you.” –Lucado, Encouraging Word Bible

THIS is our God who loved us first before we thought about loving Him back!

THIS is the focus of a faithful and forever focused God on His beloved!

Oh Lord,

Thank you for your faithful teaching with love and encouragement today! Thank you for loving us with focused attention, direction, and always with power to be and do what you say is best for us!  I will follow you as you follow me all the days of my life with your love, mercy, and grace!

In Jesus Name, Yes and Amen!