Devotional:Hurt from Rejection:1 Samuel 8:1-9

“The LORD said to Samuel, ‘Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them” (1 Samuel 8:7, NASB).

The people did not love him. They did want him to be their leader. They wanted their own king. It did not matter to the people that under his leadership they had been successful in leading them in battle against their chief enemy. He judged the people with just decisions. “His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice” (1 Samuel 8:3).

The people blamed Samuel for what his sons had done. They wanted a ling like the other nations. Samuel was hurt deeply. He had served in the temple from childhood; before he became their judge. The people told him that he was getting too old to be their leader. Samuel was getting too old. The people’s demands hurt Samuel deeply.

We all experience rejection. It seems that sometimes people will accept what you do for them when they have a need. However, when we cannot do for them as they would like, we are quickly rejected. God told Samuel that he was not the one that was being rejected. Rather, they were rejecting God. Rejecting God was not a new thing. Even though the Lord had rescued them from the bonds of slavery, they had forsaken the Lord and turned to other gods. Thus the main thing that we need to know is that if we serve the Lord many people will reject us. Do not take rejection personally. It’s really rejection against the God that we serve.

Prayer: Lord, we will serve You even when we are rejected. Amen.