Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: 1st Samuel 13-14 … To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Reference Passage : 1st Samuel 13: 5-14 … To study this passage, go to this link -
My Journal for Today: Okay, … God’s people get what they want … a King; and he is Saul; and as we read from yesterday’s chronological read in 1st Samuel, Saul has all the tools to become a great king. However, today, we read that Saul got off with a rough start; and his character weaknesses shine through early in his reign. If you read from my link above, at the outset in their strife with the Philistines, Saul’s son, Jonathan, who will play a prominent role later in the reign of David, wins a battle for which Saul takes the credit. And from there on, we read that Saul can’t seem to trust Yahweh the way he’s been called on – as God’s anointed one – to follow God as the leader of the Lord’s chosen ones.
In the highlight passage, linked for your more specific study above, we read of Saul becoming impatient, seeing his men bolt from fear; and thinking a sacrifice to God was necessary to bring the army into line and court God’s power, Saul takes over for Samuel, who appeared to be tardy – in Saul’s mind – to perform the ritual sacrifice. And as you can read in 1st Samuel 13, when Samuel finally showed up, he rebuked Saul with the disquieting prophesy that Saul’s kingdom would come to an end as God searched for “… a man after God’s heart,” who would become the king one day in Saul’s stead.
Have you ever been in a situation when God just didn’t seem to be there for you in the timing you desired or as you had prayed for; and God just didn’t seem to be cooperating with life in the time sequence you felt was necessary? And as I ask that question, I can’t help but think of a passage written by a later king, … Solomon, who said, in Proverbs 3: 5-6, [NKJV] …Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. I all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.
Saul’s pridefulness and impatience could not live by that truth; and his heart was not the heart God needed in the role of the King of His people. So, with Saul’s disobedience he set a series of events into motion which would later lead, as we know from past reading of God’s word, to the search for, anointing, and conflict with a young man who would one day become the “man after God’s own heart,” … as David becomes the next King of God’s chosen people.
The point of application for us today is very straight forward, prompting these questions …
>>> Do we have the faith and trust in our God to wait on Him, especially those of us who know and believe in His written promises and His proclamations of truth from His word? In other words, can we live by Proverbs 3: 5-6?
>>> Can we be what Jesus demands of His disciples (in Luke 9: 23) and deny our selves to follow Him?
>>> Do we believe and can we trust (as Paul wrote in Romans 8: 28) that ALL things in our lives, as Christians, are somehow for our good, even though God’s will and timing seem to be so, so slow?
And until we can answer “YES” to all of those questions, perhaps we should refrain from being critical about how Saul handled things early in his reign. Perhaps we should just take what we read into consideration as God’s word, showing us through the life of Saul, how we need to develop the faith and trust in God which helps us become “a man (or woman) after God’s own heart.”
My Prayer Today: … Lord, help me to develop the fruit of patience which You have given me from Your Spirit so that I will trust, this day, that You are leading me in the path which will help me to become a man after Your heart. Amen
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