|
        |
|
|
Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International. |
||||
The Importance of Staying Connected to God
What have
you done? asked Samuel. Saul replied, When I saw that the men were scattering,
and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were
assembling at Mikmash, I thought, Now the Philistines will come down against
me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor. So I felt compelled to
offer the burnt offering. You have done a foolish thing, 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. But now your kingdom will
not endure, the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him
ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.1 Saul had
everything going for him. In addition to being the son of a highly respected
man, he was tall, handsome, and had an impressive presence (1 Samuel 9:1-2).
Because God chose him for leading Israel at a time when the nation was facing
formidable enemies, we can assume that he was also courageous and charismatic.
Even the prophet Samuel spoke of him with admiration: There is none like
him among all the people (1 Samuel 10:24). But Saul spent
much of his reign disconnected from God. His errors in judgment arose, in large
measure, from an inflated sense of self-reliance. A single mistake brought
about a chain of sins, as we see in his desperate and zealous pursuit to kill
David. When people
value themselves more than they should (Romans 12:3), they cease to depend on
divine guidance. Saul thought he knew more than God, ignored the law, and
offered a sacrifice before battle rather than wait for Samuel, despite clear
instructions. By refusing to obey, God gave the kingdom to someone who would
obey (1 Samuel 16:13-14). Pride always
leads us away from God's way, but the Lord welcomes those who stray and return.
Blessing and joy await those who walk with Him. Suggested
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, forgive me for the sin of pride in my life.
Forgive me for the times I have gone ahead of your will and disobeyed your
instructions. Help me to always value your word and plans more than my own
opinions. Thank you for your patience with me and for always welcoming me with
open arms as I repent of my sins and ask for forgiveness. In the name of Jesus
I pray, Amen. 1. 1 Samuel 13:11-14 (NIV). The Encounter
for today was written by: Rosina N. |
||||
| |
||||
2. To Know God and be sure you're a real |
 |
|||
3. Donate: To help send Daily Encounter |
 |
|||
4. To send today's Daily Encounter to a friend |
|
|||
5. To share your faith in a simple, attractive |
 |
|||
6. For today's featured article click on: |
 |
|||
7. This week's chuckle as seen "On the Lighter |
 |
|||
8. Change Address of your subscription to |
 |
|||
Previous Page Site Map |
 Top |
