Prayer of a Grieving Heart
Only two years into his reign,
Saul is faced with a critical test.
Confronted by a Philistine onslaught,
Saul enters the priest’s office at
Gigal & offers sacrifices which only
a Levite is permitted to offer, thus
blatantly disregarding God’s law.
Samuel’s announcement that God
will take the kingdom from him
only spurs Saul on to greater
efforts at doing God’s work
but not in God’s way. By ignoring
Samuel’s specific command from
God to annihilate the Amalekites,
Saul seals the fate of his kingship.
Lord, we aspire for Obedience to U:
Saul spared Agag & the best sheep..
Everything worthless they destroyed
Now the word of the Lord came to
Samuel: I greatly regret that I have
set up Saul as king for he has turned
back from following Me, and has
not performed My commandments.
And it grieved Samuel, and he cried
out to the Lord all nite (1S15:9-11).
(Samuel said): Go and completely
destroy the sinners, the Amalekites…
Why did you rush for the plunder?…
But I did obey the Lord,Saul insisted.
I carried out the mission he gave me.
I brought back King Agag, but I
destroyed everyone else. Then my
troops brought in the best of the
sheep & cattle… to sacrifice to
the Lord… But Samuel replied:
What is more pleasing to the Lord:
Your burnt offerings and sacrifices
or your obedience to His voice?
Obedience is far better than
sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:18-23).
Lord, we note Saul’s disobedience
to God’s commands brought about
his rejection. How deeply grieved
Samuel must have been over the
situation, crying all night to You.
Samuel had to complete Saul’s
work to kill Agag. Saul’s non action
resulted in loosing fellowship w God.
We’ll be mindful that it’s possible
for kindness to become a sin
and result in compromise. Amen.
Lord, we note Saul did not fully
obey Your instructions; for he
spared Amalek’s king and kept
alive the nation’s choice livestock.
Forgive us Lord for the times
we try to rationalize Your clear
words or justify disobedient actions.
Give us Lord an obedient heart
that loves & trust You above all else;
for obedience brings blessing. Amen
Lord, work in me a heart of
obedience so that I can live
a life that is pleasing to You.
It’s easy to rationalise obedience
or attempt to chart my own course.
But You Lord are holy and You value
obedience above anything I can ever
give You. May my daily sacrifice to
You be a humble and Obedient heart
that You delight. In Jesus’ name.