1 Samuel 9:15-21 – A King after God’s Own Heart
We’ve got a glimpse this week of the king after Israel’s own heart – the man they wanted. Saul was the ‘asked-for’ king, the desire of all Israel (9:20). We all have ‘kings’ after our own hearts. People or things we long for, ask for, and look to in trouble. Of whom, or what, do you say, “I only need…”? What is your first thought in difficulty? A spouse or parent, and we think, “If only I could speak to them, it would all be alright”. Is our first thought in trouble, “I need to get away from it all, I need a holiday? Is everything ok once we get a huge slab of chocolate, or a drink? Or maybe you just look to yourself – your talents, your strengths, your resilience. These are the delivering ‘kings’ we look for, the concoctions shaped by our own heart.
The problem with ‘kings’ after our own heart is that they are not what we need. They are the result of self diagnosis. They are unreliable and they are a rejection of God. Like Saul, they may start promisingly, but they will let us down. What we need is a king after God’s heart. This is what we have in Jesus. He is a king after God’s own heart. He was obedient to God’s law and rules according to God’s law, as God wants. We see him in contrast to Saul here: outwardly unimpressive (Isaiah 53:2), he is the shepherd king who finds his lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7). But we also see him in shadow form in this story. Through him God’s mercy comes to us in the midst of our ordinary lives. Because of him, our stupidity cannot wither God’s compassions. He is the King who speaks through his Word, bringing mercy to us in all our troubles. He is the king who cannot fail us or let us down.
Questions
- How does Jesus contrast with Saul?
- How do we see a shadow or outline of Jesus in this story?
Prayer Points
- Give thanks for a king after God’s heart, who brings us acceptance and blessing from him.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.