and the award goes to...

I was reading in chapter 10 of 1st Samuel this morning and came across this passage,

Now Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah. And he said to the people of Israel, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.' But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said to him, 'Set a king over us.'

This is from the story of Saul being raised up as the first king of Israel, at the request of the people, and the displeasure of the Lord.

As I read this passage this morning, it hit me, "Are we doing the same thing again, when we look to political power and activity to accomplish our goals, rather than turning to God in fasting and prayer for His divine intervention?"

I wouldn't deny the possibility that the Lord would lead an individual or group into some form of political or social action in a specific situation, but that seems to be our first and natural response to the problems we encounter today.

Of course, we always throw up a token prayer for God's blessing on our efforts, but I am not sure he wants to be "best supporting actor" in this story.

Just a thought...