The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Samuel 8:4-7, “Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came

to Samuel at Ramah; 5 and they said to him, ‘Behold, you have grown old,

and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge

us like all the nations.’ 6 But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel

when they said, ‘Give us a king to judge us.’ And Samuel prayed to the LORD.

7 And 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.’”

I want to challenge you to read chapters 8, 9, and 10 today –right now!

This is a vital passage because it is the record of the start of Israel’s troubles.

It also reveals the secrets of the LORD –how He directs everything, although

they seem to be circumstances that just happen.

Eli’ sons were wicked and the LORD replaced him with Samuel. Now, Samuel’s

sons are wicked, and the people would appear to have had enough. We want

a king! Other nations have kings, why can’t we have a king? Most kids have said

that to their parents at some time: All the other kids are doing it, why can’t we?

But Israel had no idea how far-reaching this cry would be and what devastation

it would bring upon their nation, even to this very day.

Sometimes our parents allow us to do what we want, despite the fact that they

Know it is wrong. Why do they do that? They are allowing us to experience what

wrong will bring into our lives. And when it comes, we learn that they knew all

the time what the result would be. The LORD allows Israel to have a king, but

they have no idea how much grief that king will ultimate bring upon them!

We love you even when you do wrong because the LORD loves us even when we

do wrong.

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”