Read 1 Samuel 13
Heart Love
13 “You acted
foolishly,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave
you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all
time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man
after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have
not kept the Lord's command.”
YOU might be confused or perplexed over Samuel’s harsh words
to Saul. We just read in chapter 12 how Saul had accomplished a great victory
for Israel. The people praised him and even threatened to destroy some who were
reluctant to accept Saul as king. What happened that the Lord had appointed a
new leader for Israel?
Notice the phrase,
“the Lord has sought out a man after his
own heart”. Through Samuel, God had put a test on Saul. He had specifically
told Saul, “Go down ahead of me to
Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and
fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell
you what you are to do.” (1 Sam 10:8) Saul went to Gilgal, but he did not
wait. Saul offers the sacrifice before Samuel arrives.
Oh, Saul gives
good human-based excuses. His soldiers were leaving. He needed to know God’s
direction “now”. Saul’s problem is he didn’t trust God to provide for his
needs. He wasn’t a man after God’s heart. He was a man who sought in his own
way to satisfy the desires of his heart.
This is the sin
issue. Adam and Eve desired the fruit on the tree. Cain desired approval of his
own ways. We all desire to put our heart’s desires before God’s commands.
Saul’s 42-year
reign becomes a story of a tormented man because he put his heart before God’s.
A Moment’s Thought: Love the Lord with all your heart.
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