Don’t be a Disappointment

Scripture: But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.”  1 Samuel 15:22 NIV
Until the day Samuel died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned for him. And the Lord was grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel. 1 Samuel 15:35 NIV

Observation: Samuel tells King Saul that his excuse for why he and his soldiers disobeyed the Lord by not completely and totally obliterating the Amalekites and their possessions didn’t hold water. At the end of that chapter we see probably one of the most horrible statements in the bible. Because of Saul’s selfish disobedience Samuel says, “…And the Lord was grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.” 1 Samuel 15:35b NIV

Application: Can you imagine anything more terrible than finding out that God was so disappointed in you that he was sorry that ge had blessed you.  To me that statement is the antithesis of Matthew 3:17 NIV, “And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'”  I want God to be “well pleased” with me, not sorry that he sacrificed his son for my sake!

Prayer: Father, I pray that I never disappoint you like King Saul did. When I meet you face-to-face I want you to tell me well done. I love you. Amen

Doug