Main Verse: 1 Samuel 15

Good morning!

King Saul was given orders to go to Amelek and destroy it putting every man, woman, child, and animal to death. The project started out ok but then Saul decided to modify the plan by making a deal with the King of Amelek and taking the best animals for God’s temple; his thought was that God would be pleased with him for thinking about the temple. Instead of being lauded, Saul was excoriated for disobeying God’s command. Samuel took Saul’s sword and killed Amelek’s, King Agag. When Saul tried to hold onto Samuel, he tore a piece of Samuel’s garment. Samuel said in response, “The Lord has torn the kingdom away from you and given it to a neighbor”; because of this event, the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul that day. This would be the last time Samuel and Saul would be together and this would be a point of bitter contention and regret that would hound Saul the rest of his life.

So why wasn’t it acceptable to hold back a portion of the animals and put the weak to death? God is not like the gods of the earth (Psalms 86:8-9). As servants of the living God, when claim to serve him yet are unethical or do things that cast spurn on His name, we make Him out to be no better than the world and that is something that God will not abide by. We are not told what Saul was thinking whether he was being altruistic or selfish. What we do know is that he disobeyed God’s orders by setting aside a sacrifice from the things that God said to destroy. What we can take away from this situation is that God doesn’t want our stuff because it all belongs to Him (Deuteronomy 10:14-16). My encouragement for you today is that in everything you do or say, do it for God’s glory, not your back pocket (1 Corinthians 10:31-33).

Father,

You are an awesome God, there is no one like you, and the best the world could ever come up with is a menstrual cloth (Isaiah 64:6). You love us completely and intimately because, although made of clay, we are made in your image. When we do things that displease you, it breaks your heart. When we sin we lose out on what you have in mind for us just as Saul lost his kingdom. Please help me in every situation to consider what I am about to do so that I do not find myself fighting against you (Acts 5:33-37).

In Jesus’ Name