ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Pulelulu 6 Fepueli 2019

Ko e fili ‘a e kakai – fiema‘u ha Tu‘i

People’s choice – a King

1 SAMIUELA 9-10 (1 SAMUEL 9-10)

VEESI LAULOTO: 1 SAMIUELA 16:7

Ka ka folofola ‘a e ‘Eiki kia Sāmiuela, ‘Oua na‘a tokanga‘i hono fōtunga, pe ko hono mā‘olunga; he kuo u li‘aki ia: he tala‘ehai ko e fai ki he sio ‘a e tangata; he ‘oku sio ‘a e tangata ki he mata, ka ‘oku sio ‘a e ‘Eiki ki he loto.

MEMORY VERSES: 1 SAMUEL 16:7

But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

Na’e angatu’u ‘a e kakai ‘Isileli ki he ‘Otua ‘i he’enau vilitaki ke fakanofo ha’anau Tu’i, pea fai pe ‘e Samiuela  honau loto pea na’e faka’ata ‘e he ‘Otua ke fakahoko ‘enau fili.  Pea neongo na’e ‘ikai ko e finangalo ‘o e ‘Otua ke fili ha Tu’i ma’a e kakai,  ka na’a ne kei tataki pe ‘a e fili ‘a e kakai fekau’aki mo honau ‘uluaki Tu’i.  Na’e me’angaue’aki ‘e he ‘Otua ha ngaahi me’a na’e hoko ki he kakai fekau’aki pea mo hono fili ‘a e tokotaha ‘e hoko ko e Tu’i ‘o ‘Isileli.  Na’e fekumi mai ‘a Saula kia Samiuela ko ‘ene kumi tokoni ki ha’ane kumi ha fanga’asi na’e mole.  Na’e hoko pe ‘eni ia ‘o fakatatau ki he palani ‘a e ‘Otua, ke ne fakaha ai kia Samiuela ko Saula ‘oku fili ‘e he ‘Otua ke hoko ko e taki fo’ou ‘o ‘Isileli.  Mei he kamata’anga pe ‘o e talanoa ‘o Saula, ‘oku ha mai ai pe ‘a e ngaahi faka’ilonga ‘o e ngaahi faingata’a ‘e hoko ‘i he fefusiaki ‘a Saula mo hono kakai, ko e palopalema ‘o e ‘ikai te ne falala kakato ki he ‘Otua (9:21; 10:22).  Ko e mo’ui ‘a Saula na’e fakamamahi ko e ‘ikai te ne a’usia ‘a e tu’unga kakato ‘o e fokotu’utu’u ‘a e ‘Otua, pea ko ha  fakamanatu mahu’inga kiate kitautolu ‘a e mahu’inga ketau falala kakato ki he ‘Otua mo ‘ene ngaahi palani ki he’etau mo’ui, he ‘oku fiema’u ketau falala kakato ta’etoe ue’ia ki hono finangalo.

The Israelites rebelled against God by demanding a king, and Samuel, with God's approval, granted their request. Even though a monarchy was not God's desire for the people, God still took it upon Himself to select who would be the nation's first king. God worked through a series of seemingly unrelated events to reveal who that king would be. Saul, in the process of searching for some lost donkeys, solicited the help of Samuel. All of this happened according to God's predicted plan, which revealed to Samuel that Saul was God's appointed leader. From the beginning of Saul's story, though, we see hints of the life-long struggle that would plague his leadership-a lack of trust in God (9:21; 10:22). Saul's life is a sad story of unrealized potential, but it's an important reminder of God's desire that we trust Him and His plans for our lives, resulting in our unwavering devotion.