Going to Gilgal - 1 Samuel 11:14-15

"Come, let us all go to Gilgal to renew the kingdom. So they all went to Gilgal, and in a solemn ceremony before the Lord they made Saul king."

Saul was the first king of Israel.He was the son of a wealthy landowner and became king unexpectedly and rather reluctantly.

The people had requested a king to help them fight their battles. They were happy with Saul because of his regal stature--he was a head taller than anyone else (vs. 10:23).

God spoke to Samuel about anointing a king over Israel and Samuel met privately with Saul and declared him the new king.

Saul’s rise to power as king involved a sequence of three events:

1. His secret anointing by Samuel in vs. 9:1–10:16; 
2. His selection by lot in vs. 10:17-27, and 
3. His victory over the Ammonites and subsequent dedication ceremony in vs. 11:1-15. 

The solemn ceremony before God that was held at Gilgal was an occasion for rededication, acknowledging that Saul was Israel's new king while affirming that God was still their true King.

At Gilgal Israel offered peace offerings in thanksgiving to God and all the Israelites were filled with joy (vs. 15).

Over the course of our Christian lives, we all need to "go to Gilgal" for spiritual renewal and revitalization.

Our personal journey to Gilgal should be a point or place in our lives of rededication and thanksgiving, reaffirming God as our King and asking Him to re-fill us with the power and joy of the Holy Spirit.

In fact, going to Gilgal may be a trip we need to make quite often!  

"We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father" (Colossians 1:11-12).