Have you felt rejected? Who was it that rejected you? Was it a family member? Was it someone you considered to be a good friend? Was it a group of people you were teaching or presenting information to? Does your rejection help you understand how God feels when people reject him?
Rejection is tough. It doesn’t matter if it is family, friends, or a bunch of strangers. When we are rejected, it stings. It can feel as though a stake has been driven into our heart. The pain of being rejected can last for a long time. It can even stay with us for the rest of our lives.
Samuel did not like it when the Israelites came to him and asked him to anoint a king for them. They had not had a king to that point. The judges, rabbi’s, priests, and prophets had provided Israel with guidance and direction. They were representatives of God. They received messages from God periodically and provided them to the people.
Yet, when Samuel had grown old, not having much time left in his life, the people asked for a king. His sons had been disobedient. The people saw other nations who had kings and they wanted to be like those other nations. God tells Samuel it is not him they are rejecting. They are rejecting God.
When we seek to be like everyone else in the world, we are rejecting God, just as the Israelites did. God called Israel and he calls us to be different than the world. It breaks God’s heart when we reject him, just like it breaks our heart when we are rejected. Rather than rejecting God, let’s all choose to accept him and follow his ways.
I pray we all stop conforming to this world. I pray we stop rejecting God. I pray each one of us chooses to accept God and follow his commands for the rest of our lives. Do not reject God. Stop conforming to the world. Choose to accept God. Choose to follow God’s commands.
1 Samuel 8:6b-7 Samuel prayed to the Lord, and the Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.”
Marty Pressey 