“But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee” – 1 Samuel 13:14 (KJV).
God desires people who can feel his pulse. People whose heart beat is for God and pant after Him. People who will seek to know his will, his plan and his purpose in all they do. Unfortunately, many leaders even in the Christian circle are after their own comfort and pleasure. A lot of people claim to be doing the work of God but they are only after their belly and their pocket. God’s feeling does not bother them. They can afford to grieve the Holy Spirit and ignore God and his word provided they feed their ego and fulfill personal pleasure. The scripture clearly warns; “These know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy” – 2 Timothy 3:1-2 (KJV). We are living in a perilous time where church is seen by some as business centers and leadership is viewed by most people as opportunity to fulfill personal ambitions instead of God’s agenda. Most men today are after their own heart. They crave for wealth, pleasure, carnal lust and personal ego.
The people of God asked for a king instead of the Judges that God gave them. They wanted to be like other nations around them. God’s will and plan did not matter to them. All that mattered was their desire to be like other nations. They asked for a king, rejecting God from being their king. God granted them their hearts’ desire. King Saul was chosen as their king. Saul was a huge man, head and shoulder above all Israel. He was the people’s choice, a king they will be proud of, one they could count on to lead them to battle.
God sent to Saul fight against the Amalekites, the instruction was very clear. “Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have and spare them not but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass”- 1 Samuel 15: (KJV). God was faithful in giving them victory but Saul could not show complete obedience, he spared king Agag, the best of the sheep and of the oxen. His ego and personal pleasure mattered more to him than the will of God. His lame defense was that the people spared the sheep and oxen for sacrifice. He thought that could impress God but God does not accept bribe, only obedience. It is God’s will that matters not the people’s wishes or personal lust.
King Saul equally failed the first test of obedience and patience when he broke rank and operated on Prophet Samuel’s office. He showed indeed that he could not be trusted with leadership because he was a man after his own heart and personal agenda.
For David, the story is different. He could sacrifice his personal comfort and pleasure, and risk his life to fulfill God’s will. As the deer pants for water in the water brook, so his heart panted for God.
Prayer: Oh God, may my heart pant for you.
Rev. Vincent Diolu