daily readings first thoughts july 10 2007

1 Samuel 15:24-35

In this story, Saul had received instructions from the Lord through Samuel to wait 7 days for God's next commandment in his battle against the Amalekites. As 7 days come and go, he has become impatient waiting on God, and fearing he'd look foolish and weak to the people, he took matters into his own hands. He moves against them, messing with the Lord's instructions to completely destroy them and all their possessions, saving some for himself. He gets busted by Samuel, who tells him "to obey is better than sacrifice, to heed is better than the fat of the rams, for rebellion is sin... and arrogance, like idolatry." Saul confesses he has sinned and asks Samuel to stick with him, and restore him to the people so he can worship the Lord. But there is a self-serving motive for his "confession." He's about to lose his crown, and he needs Samuel to keep a good word for him with the Lord and the people. Samuel eventually leads Saul back to worship the Lord, but leaves him there, never to see him again. Saul is rejected by God as King, and Samuel as his friend.

Consequences to disobedience are grave, maybe not experienced in the moment but eventually levied. Though grace a bounds for us in Christ when we confess our waywardness, all of us are accountable to the Lord for how we keep faith with God's commandments. The ones that don't make sense, and seem irrelevant for our times. The commandments that are politically incorrect, or appear hard-nosed. The commandments that call for discipline and confrontation of wrongdoing that would render us unpopular. Commandments not to accept false teaching in the church, or mingle with other gods of our age. Commandments to be just and kind and fair to the weaker among us. Whenever our own motives are given higher standing than God's, God will hold us accountable.

One interesting thing I noted however in this reading, was about God's desire for our worship, no matter what. I think the author of Samuel was trying to say even as Samuel was banished from being King, that as we remember God's covenant, and the miracles of dead people coming to life and the terminally ill made well, and devils exorcised by Jesus and his followers, Saul was still allowed to return to worship the Lord. Warts and all, scarred and shamed, powerless, paranoid and pitiful before the people. But God is faithful and promised he would never break covenant with us weak in faith and slow to come to our senses. God always seeks our confession and our praise.

Carrying the consequences of my life, I enter in to worship the One who has forgiven everything I ever did. Praise to you, O Lord, for knowing the real me and loving me anyway. For redeeming me to live with you forever.