02/26/2014 DISTINGUISHING NEEDS AND WANTS
1 Samuel 8:4-9; 19 Finally the leaders of Israel met in Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. They told him that since his retirement things hadn't been the same, for his sons were not good men. "Give us a king like all the other nations have," they pleaded. Samuel was terribly upset and went to the Lord for advice. "Do as they say," the LORD replied, "for I am the one they are rejecting, not you---they don't want ME to be their king any longer. Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually forsaken ME and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment. Do as they ask, but warn them about what it will be like to have a king!". . . . But the people refused to listen to Samuel's warning. "Even so, we still want a king," they said, "for we want to be like the nations around us. He will govern us and lead us to battle." [Living Bible translation]