1 Samuel 12:12-17: a reflection

12“When you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when the LORD your God was your king. 13Now therefore see the king whom you have chosen and whom you have asked for. Behold, the LORD has set a king over you. 14If you will fear the LORD, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of the LORD your God. 15But if you will not listen to the LORD’s voice, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the LORD’s hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers. 16“Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes. 17Isn’t it wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD, that he may send thunder and rain; and you will know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the LORD’s sight, in asking for a king.”

After the people had sinned in demanding a king, rejecting God's own rule, Samuel does not leave them in despair over their wrong choice; he shows them a way forward. Though they had done wrong in asking for a king, Samuel tells them that if they will now fear the LORD, serve him, and obey his voice, then both they and the king who reigns over them can still follow the LORD their God. If you will fear the LORD, and serve him, and listen to his voice, he says, then both you and also the king are followers of the LORD your God. Even after their wrong choice, faithfully following God from here on could still lead to a good outcome. The past wrong was real, but it was not the end; grace offered a way forward, if they would now follow God. Even after a wrong choice, faithfully following God from this point on is the way forward, and it can still go well. A wrong choice need not be the end; following God from here can still lead to good. Grace offers a way forward after our wrong choices.

Notice what Samuel offers the people after their wrong choice: a way forward in following God. They had sinned in demanding a king; the wrong was real, and Samuel does not minimize it. But he does not leave them in despair or condemnation; he tells them that if they will now fear and serve and obey God, it can still go well with them and their king. The past wrong did not have to determine the future; faithfully following God from this point on offered a way forward. This is a gracious thing: that even after we have made a wrong choice, God offers a way forward, if we will now follow him faithfully. Our wrong choices are real and have consequences; but they need not be the end, need not condemn us to a ruined future, if we turn now to follow God. Grace makes a way forward from our wrong choices, if we will now fear and serve and obey God. The way forward after a wrong choice is to follow God faithfully from here. A wrong choice is not the last word; following God from now on opens a way. Grace offers a future beyond our mistakes.

That is worth taking to heart, for even after a wrong choice, faithfully following God from now on is the way forward, and it can still go well. We can be trapped in despair over a wrong choice, feeling it has ruined our future beyond repair; but Samuel told the people that even after their wrong in demanding a king, if they would now fear and serve and obey God, it could still go well. A wrong choice is real, but it need not be the end; following God faithfully from here offers a way forward. When you have made a wrong choice, do not despair; the way forward is to follow God faithfully from now on, as Samuel showed the people. Do not despair over a wrong choice as though it had ruined your future beyond repair, for faithfully following God from this point on is the way forward and it can still go well, as Samuel told the people who had sinned in demanding a king that if they would now fear and serve and obey the LORD, both they and their king could still follow him; for our wrong choices are real and have consequences, but they need not be the last word or condemn us to a ruined future, since grace offers a way forward if we will now turn to follow God faithfully, so that a wrong choice is not the end but can give way to good if we follow God from here on.

Lord, after the people had sinned in demanding a king, rejecting your own rule, Samuel does not leave them in despair over their wrong choice; he shows them a way forward. Though they had done wrong in asking for a king, Samuel tells them that if they will now fear you, serve you, and obey your voice, then both they and the king who reigns over them can still follow you. If you will fear the LORD, and serve him, and listen to his voice, he says, then both you and also the king are followers of the LORD your God. Even after their wrong choice, faithfully following you from here on could still lead to a good outcome. Show me what Samuel offers the people after their wrong choice: a way forward in following you. They had sinned in demanding a king; the wrong was real, and Samuel does not minimize it. But he does not leave them in despair; he tells them that if they will now fear and serve and obey you, it can still go well. The past wrong did not have to determine the future. This is a gracious thing: that even after I have made a wrong choice, you offer a way forward, if I will now follow you faithfully. My wrong choices are real and have consequences; but they need not be the end, if I turn now to follow you. Take that to my heart, for even after a wrong choice, faithfully following you from now on is the way forward, and it can still go well. I can be trapped in despair over a wrong choice, feeling it has ruined my future beyond repair; but Samuel told the people that even after their wrong, if they would now fear and serve and obey you, it could still go well. When I have made a wrong choice, keep me from despair; help me follow you faithfully from now on, Lord, as Samuel showed the people, for a wrong choice is not the end but can give way to good if I follow you from here.