A few things have happened in 1 Samuel since my last reflection! And now, reflecting on today's reading (from chapters 7 and 8) the request for a king seems all the more ironic and sad in light of what happens in chapters 4-6. These chapters highlight that God is more than able to look after himself and his people, if only they will trust and honour him. Sadly though, the Israelites see the need for a human king so that they can be ‘just like the other nations’. In fact, the Philistines seem to acknowledge the unrivalled power of the LORD as Israel’s God more than the Israelites do (1 Sam 6:4-9)!

I can’t be too quick to judge though. As the notes for today’s reflection point out ‘we, too, have a tendency to look to what we can see rather than trusting in God.’ What I need to remember though, which is played out in the sad saga of King Saul’s life (and many of the kings to follow!) is that 'these things are tyrants by comparison with God.’ Christians are not supposed to be ‘just like everyone else’. We’re supposed to be different - to have something to offer the world. And it starts with trusting God to be more than what the world has to offer.