The Leader They Wanted

Let’s face the truth squarely. Loving God requires living by faith and living by faith is not easy. Placing your security in a leader you can see and touch feels far more natural than a God who seems far away. This is the challenge Israel faced many centuries ago. After the days of the Judges, Israel remained a loose confederation of tribes. There was no standing army, no central government, and they had very little by way of military defenses. They were surrounded by aggressive and well organized nations to the east and west. Under unrelenting pressure, they demanded new leadership. Their demand and God’s response holds up a mirror to our own responses to pressure. Where do we turn for security?