The week in focus

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Up-to-the-minute jumping-off points for sermons, linking the reading to the latest news and global issues

Getting what you want

The one thing worse than not getting what you want is getting what you want. (1 Sam. 8:4-20)

Context

• Both the UK and the US are facing general elections. Both will have an impact on other democracies.
• Some decisions seem sensible at the time they are made – before the unintended consequences kick in.
• A man seeking justice when joining his court hearing by Zoom actually receives it.

Ideas for sermons or interactive talks

• In 1933, Germans felt that Hitler’s National Socialist Party could unify the country and lead Germany out of the Depression. It was their last free election for 16 years and brought the country – and much of Europe – to utter ruin. In 2024 America, Donald Trump has promised voters that if re-elected, he will never voluntarily leave the White House again. Like the ancient Israelites, nearly half America’s voters say they agree with Trump’s plans, perhaps thinking ‘Give us a king/dictator so we can be like the other nations (Russia, North Korea, China).’ History repeats itself for two deep-seated reasons: our capacity for denial (It can’t happen to us!) and projection: our leader means well and will be good for us. The moment we exalt our earthly leaders to divine status, we open ourselves to the law of unintended consequences.
• It's instructive to read in 1 and 2 Kings the summaries of the kings of Israel and Judah. As often as not, one reads that King So-and-So ‘did evil in the sight of the Lord.’ In some ways, looking backwards in the text (from 1 and 2 Kings to Samuel), it makes Samuel’s warnings to Israel about the nature of a human king look a bit like pantomime:

"You don’t want a king!"

"Oh, yes we do!"

"No you don’t and here’s why."

"Give us a king anyway!"

How often do we want God simply to rubber-stamp our decisions? Like the people of ancient Israel, we are often more willing to seek God’s direction after we make a mess of things, thus putting God in the position of cosmic nanny.

Questions for discussion

• Have you ever really wished for something (a relationship, a job or whatever) for a long time and then received it? Was it all you had hoped for?
• Consider a time when you did not get something you had hoped for. What have you learned from not getting what you want?
• Read 1 Samuel 8:11-18. Which Israelite king(s) does this fit best? And who would you choose between Saul and David?

Revd Dr Jack Lawson is a freelance writer and author of the novels Doing Time, No Good Deed, Criminal Justice, The Woods and Dirty Business. His newest novel, Joab, (Wipf & Stock) is based on the life of King David.

Check-in

Connecting faith with everyday, real-life issues for young people

Watch Lindsay talking about this week's Check-in on: facebook Instagram

Have you heard that there's an election coming up? I’m sure you have - it's rather difficult to escape the elections at the moment. Whether you’re turning on the radio, reading the news, or opening up TikTok, the stories, promises, and scandals are everywhere. Recently we’ve been told AI is getting involved, producing fake stories, which makes it incredibly hard to understand what is going on and what to believe.

Like Samuel some of us might be feeling rather sad as we watch certain choices being made over the coming weeks, and this includes our young people. Most young people will not be able to vote, and this news will be filtering through as they watch people make choices that will have consequences on their future.

What can we do to guide our young people through this time? How do we put God in the centre of this political situation? I would recommend we look to Samuel for guidance on this. In the depths of his sadness and lack of understanding, Samuel turns to God in prayer and repeatedly does so throughout the entire process. Let’s challenge ourselves to do the same.

Lindsay Wright is a freelance writer and designer based in Lancashire.

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