As Saul watched David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, "Abner, whose son is that young man?" Abner replied, "As surely as you live, O king, I don't know."

Whatever Saul sent him to do, David did it so successfully that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the people, and Saul's officers as well. 1 Samuel 17:55-18:4

Prior to this passage is the famous story of David and Goliath. He sees the giant, wonders why nobody defends the Lord's honor, takes out a sling and slays the giant of a man.

Courage. Honor. Doing the right thing. It's all there.

King Saul sees all of this and wants to know more about little David. Saul recognizes his great courage and wants him to be a commander in his army. From nobody to leader overnight.

As a leader, it's an obvious call to make: hire the best and the brightest. Unfortunately our political leaders don't always do that. They put someone in a position because of political favors or they're a relative or any number of goofy reasons.

I know it seems like it's a joke, but pray that our leaders will find and recruit the "obvious" candidate for the positions they fill.

Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, "The LORD has not chosen this one either." Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, "Nor has the LORD chosen this one." Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, "The LORD has not chosen these." So he asked Jesse, "Are these all the sons you have?"
"There is still the youngest," Jesse answered, "but he is tending the sheep." Samuel said, "Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives."

 So he sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features.  Then the LORD said, "Rise and anoint him; he is the one."
So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah. 1 Samuel 16:8-13

Samuel anointed David in front of his brothers, and I guarantee you that it stirred up a lot of commotion in Jesse's household that day (and many others afterwards). Seven older boys were passed over to be King of Israel. But what was it like for little David. Saul was still in power so he couldn't ascend to the throne just yet, and even so, what would he do when he got there? It's the stuff dreams are made of.

Our future leaders are kids now. None of them have been anointed but some have aspirations to lead and rule. Thirty years from this will be a very different world. Think of what it was like even twenty years ago. But I believe that God is stirring this generation to do great things, in every country, in every tongue.

Pray that God will raise up Godly men and women to lead our nations. Pray that He will build the skills and minds necessary to solve the problems we are leaving behind.

The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king."

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:1-7

It certainly didn't take long for the Lord to announce the anointing of a new king. And Samuel was ready to make it Eliab. The Lord knew what Samuel was thinking. He knew his thoughts and how he would think, especially since Samuel's mission was to choose one of Jesse's sons to become king.

Obviously God knowing Samuel's thoughts, as interesting as that may sound, is not the focal point of this passage. He was merely pointing out to Samuel that what God sees as important and what we see are two very different things.

• What do you think about when you see the 18-year-old with a face full of earrings and a blue Mohawk?
• What do you think about when you see that shabbily dressed couple come into church with their five kids needing a good bath?
• What do you think about when you go around the slow car driven by someone who must be close to 100 years old?

Exactly. God sees people in a very different light than we do. Oh we put on a good "game face" at times, but I know that I have to work at loving people who don't meet my puny standards of social standing.

Ask God that He would help you see people as He sees them. It's a bold prayer because along with seeing them that way, we've got to be able to love them that way too. But is that such a bad thing?

Saul replied, "I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God." So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.

Then Samuel left for Ramah, but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul. 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 15:30-34

For a third time, Scripture tells us that the LORD was grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel. It was what the people wanted. They cried out, pleaded, and demanded the LORD give them a king. Have you ever been in a situation where the "mob" was ruling and they actually did the wrong thing because as soon as one person is vocal about something, what he says starts to spread. Unfortunately, like in the game of "Whisper" where the object of the game is to spread a few lines from one end of the room to the other without it becoming all tangled up. Usually, someone mishears it along the way and the message gets shorter and shorter, until someone at the very end decides to embellish the story. By the time, it gets to the very end, it really has no relation to what was originally spoke.

So, what does this have to do with Saul? The people were not happy with the Lord to rule over them so they grumbled. And whined. And complained. Before long, everyone was dissatisfied. The Lord warned them not to take a new leader but they didn't listen. Just like yesterday's reading, there were consequences to them demanding a new leader.

Pray today for the masses of people wandering aimlessly, complaining throughout life, dissatisfied with everything they touch and spreading that dissatisfaction. Pray that God will continue to draw close to them. think of someone you know who fits this description. Pray for that person by name.

Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned. I violated the LORD's command and your instructions. I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them. Now I beg you, forgive my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD."
But Samuel said to him, "I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel!" 1 Samuel 15:24-26

Just like that his favor with the Lord was over. That had to come to Saul as a total shock. It's one thing for a man to reject you, but it's something entirely different when the God you worship rejects you as leader.

The things we do in life have consequences. Yes, we can receive forgiveness for those actions, but they still have consequences. If you speed down the highway and get a speeding ticket, that is just the beginning of the natural consequences for your violation of the law. You still have to pay the fine, incur driving points, and pay higher insurance rates for three years. If you plead for mercy on the court, you'll get a smiley face on your ticket for confessing, but you'll still have to pay the penalties for your actions. The consequences for what you've done are still there. Saul realized his sin, confessed it, but the damage was already done to his leadership.

I think it's a solemn reminder to us that we live in a fallen world. Every day we see the consequences of living without God. We see violence, destruction, and chaos. We see broken homes and broken dreams. We see men and women get away with crimes they've committed. God forgives us when we come to him, but we still must make a difference in the world.

And it should be said that righteous actions also have consequences.

"Stop!" Samuel said to Saul. "Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night."  "Tell me," Saul replied.
Samuel said, "Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. And he sent you on a mission, saying, 'Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have wiped them out.' Why did you not obey the LORD ? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD ?"

For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
       and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
       Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
       he has rejected you as king."
1 Samuel 15:16-23

Even when Saul was "busted" with the truth, he tried to reason with Samuel. The Lord had told Saul (through Samuel), "Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys" (1 Samuel 15:3). The people had become so wicked that every living creature was to be put to death. But Saul disobeyed. The Lord was guiding Saul in truth, but he wasn't willing to obey fully.

God didn't want sacrifice; He wanted obedience. How does that apply to us thousands of years removed from Saul?

God's not so interested in what we do for Him. He's terribly concerned about the inner man, about what goes on inside you that no one else knows about. The sacrifice for your sins (and mine) has already been paid. That's the beauty of it all. That's grace, or as many have stated: God's Riches at Christ's Expense.

Keith Green used to sing these words: "My son, My son, why are you striving? You can't add one thing to what's been done." He's right. We need to drill that into our heads often.

Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, "Saul has gone to Carmel. There he has set up a monument in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal."
When Samuel reached him, Saul said, "The LORD bless you! I have carried out the LORD's instructions."
But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?"
Saul answered, "The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but we totally destroyed the rest." 1 Samuel 15:12-15

Samuel spent the better part of the night crying out to the Lord and immediately we see the results of that action: wisdom and mild sarcasm wrapped inside of a rebuke. What's interesting, though, is that initially Saul doesn't realize he's done anything wrong. In fact, he seeks to try to justify what he and his men did.

We're not leaders of nations, but we do the same thing. We always want to be right, and it takes some time before we'll admit our mistakes. It's that way for me. I go out of my way to to prove I was right. Often. And sadly.

Again, we need God's strength to recognize truth and to act accordingly and swiftly, even when the evidence is against us being right ("what's that bleating I hear, Saul?").

Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying, "I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not carried out My commands." And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all night. 1 Samuel 15:10-11

Because of Saul's disobedience in the previous few verses, the Lord came out with an indictment against Saul, about as strong as you'd ever want to hear from Almighty God. It was distressing even to Samuel. But what was Samuel's response? He cried out to the Lord all night.

What were his prayers like? What did he say to God about Saul? How did he pray? Somewhere along the line, he got some sleep because the next verse stated that he got up to go see Samuel. I suspect that Samuel's prayer focused on seeking God's mercy mainly. He probably sprinkled in some kind of request to give him the right words to say to Saul, then went right back to seeking God.

When's the last time we sought God so diligently, staying up all night to do it? When's the last time we became passionate about God's passions (in Saul's case, it was disobedience)?

And yet, there's another truth we can take from this passage: God was passionate about Saul being obedient to Him. Saul didn't do exactly what God had commanded. And God regretted installing Saul as king. But God is passionate about other things as well. I think he's passionate about truth and justice. He's passionate about drawing men and women to Himself. I think he's passionate about the senseless slaughter of the innocent unborn.

Take a few minutes to ponder other things that God is passionate about. Then pray to ask God to give you that passion as well.

Samuel said to Saul, "I am the one the LORD sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the LORD. This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.'"

Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, to the east of Egypt. He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed. 1 Samuel 15:1-9

Without even reading the rest of this story, we can sense the outcome. The Lord had commanded Saul (through Samuel) to destroy every living creature. Saul saved the stronger animals and the King of Agag. For whatever reason, God wanted the Amalekites completely annihilated essentially for what they did to Israel. (By the way, is this the future of all those who commit atrocious acts against Israel?)

The Lord spoke very clearly to Saul. Saul disobeyed. We may dismiss this and say how could Saul possibly disobey something so clear? I've said it a thousand times: when you point your finger at someone else, you have three pointing right back at you (your own). And often times it's not the large and grandiose things that we're disobedient in, but the little things. More so, it's not a hundred things we're disobedient in, but one or two, and as you read this, you know exactly what they are.

Ask God to give you strength to be obedient when it could cost you.

Saul's sons were Jonathan, Ishvi and Malki-Shua. The name of his older daughter was Merab, and that of the younger was Michal. His wife's name was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of Saul's army was Abner son of Ner, and Ner was Saul's uncle. Saul's father Kish and Abner's father Ner were sons of Abiel. All the days of Saul there was bitter war with the Philistines, and whenever Saul saw a mighty or brave man, he took him into his service. 1 Samuel 14:49-52

Within these few verses we see a fair amount of nepotism going on. Nepotism is when a leader appoints or elevates a family member to a position of authority. It's closely related to favoritism (and the two can be intertwined). We've all seen it. The boss' kid gets favored treatment and immediately gets the Vice President slot so that he can learn the ropes before rising to the Presidency. Often it's implied that the son or daughter doesn't have the skills, but they have the family connections and that's what shot them to the top.

So, in today's reading, the commander of Saul's army was his cousin Abner. I don't know for sure, but Abner was probably put into his position by Saul himself after he assumed the throne. Based on what we've read, we don't know if Abner is a capable commander or a bureaucratic appointee.

But what was interesting to me about these few verses was that Saul noticed mighty or brave men and recruited them. He saw bravery and courage in men. Leaders must be good judge of people. They have to have great discernment because many people will try to seek to get favors from the man at the top.

Pray once again for your nation's leaders. Pray that they will have good discernment in choosing their "underlings." Pray also that those leaders will choose the best qualified person rather than who someone knows or whether he's the son of another leader.

Saul therefore said, "Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed today. As surely as the LORD who rescues Israel lives, even if it lies with my son Jonathan, he must die." But not one of the men said a word.

After Saul had assumed rule over Israel, he fought against their enemies on every side: Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment on them. He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands of those who had plundered them. 1 Samuel 14:38-47

Again, we find Saul making an odd promise to Jonathan: you will die, Jonathan, for eating honey when I told all the troops to fast. Fortunately, his men stood up for Jonathan (because as you know, when a king said, "you will die" you would certainly be put to death. He had that much authority). It's hard to know if this was a huge humiliation for Saul or not. I suspect it was because it was at that point that he stopped pursuing the Philistines and withdrew. Later he would fight all of his enemies, but now Saul was content to withdraw.

There always seems to be tension between the "troops on the ground" and those who make huge life or death decisions sitting in comfortable chairs in stress-free situations (not saying that Saul was in such a situation but he was removed from the battle somewhat). This doesn't just apply to military but to companies as well. Those who are on the floor making the product have a very different viewpoint from those who sit in day-long meetings trying to manage those on the floor. If you've ever been "on the floor" you know exactly what I'm talking about. And yet, when you're in that situation, it's difficult to implement what you consider wrongheaded decisions.

Please pray for the men and women in the Coalition Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan who must make split-second, life or death decisions based on very little information. Pray that they will be able to cope with what they consider to be wrongheaded decisions in the heat of the battle. Pray that their leaders in the field and in the command posts throughout the world will be wise enough to ask the "troops" the best local tactics to use in situations.

That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Micmash to Aijalon, they were exhausted. They pounced on the plunder and, taking sheep, cattle and calves, they butchered them on the ground and ate them, together with the blood. Then someone said to Saul, "Look, the men are sinning against the LORD by eating meat that has blood in it."
      "You have broken faith," he said. "Roll a large stone over here at once." Then he said, "Go out among the men and tell them, 'Each of you bring me your cattle and sheep, and slaughter them here and eat them. Do not sin against the LORD by eating meat with blood still in it.' "
      So everyone brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there. Then Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first time he had done this.

So Saul asked God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel's hand?" But God did not answer him that day. 1 Samuel 14:31-37

You have to admit, there are some odd occurences in the Old Testament. This passage is one of them. The Israelites routed the Philistines. Someone told Saul that the men had eaten the meat and the blood. Then Saul built an altar to the Lord. Next when Saul is speaking to the Lord, the Bible says that "God did not answer him that day" even after Saul had built an altar to the Lord.

It's an odd passage because it seems disjointed. At first it seems as though Saul's men and Saul are in two completely different armies. Then it appears that Saul is trying to make amends with the Lord for the sins of his men. He offers a sacrifice, but hears nothing from God. It's not really clear what the silence from God means. Is God angry with Saul? Is He angry with Saul's men? What does the silence mean? We don't know.

What about us? When we try to hear God's voice and His will for our lives, and He is silent, what does it mean? Does it have to mean anything? You see, sometimes we think that God must be speaking to us all the time about stuff. And often we think that we've got to blurt out everything to God. Sometimes you just need to be comfortable sitting in silence in the presence of one another. Nobody needs to say a word. It's a healthy silence, one that we experience often in our relationships with others.

Now the men of Israel were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath, saying, "Cursed be any man who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!" So none of the troops tasted food.

The entire army entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground. When they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out, yet no one put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath. But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath, so he reached out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb. He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened. Then one of the soldiers told him, "Your father bound the army under a strict oath, saying, 'Cursed be any man who eats food today!' That is why the men are faint."

Jonathan said, "My father has made trouble for the country. See how my eyes brightened when I tasted a little of this honey. How much better it would have been if the men had eaten today some of the plunder they took from their enemies. Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?" 1 Samuel 14:24-30

The Old Testament has some very interesting examples of oaths and promises. This oath was that any man would be accursed if he ate before Saul avenged his enemies. Jonathan is oblivious to the oath until one of the soldiers tells him about it. So what's Jonathan's response? In essense he says, "My father doesn't know what he's talking about. We're in battle. We need our strength. Eat up while you can, Boys!"

So now the troops must have been conflicted. On the one hand, the Saul the Father told them to do one thing - and it was under an oath. On the other, the Jonathan the Son, who happens to be the immediate commander, remanded the oath and pursuades the men that eating would give them strength. Who do the men immediately under Jonathan's authority obey. Disobedience to either is a "life or death" issue for them.

Pray for the military in your country. They have difficult and thankless jobs. Many are required to live and operate in war zones and must obey orders in the heat of battle. Obeying orders in peacetime is not always easy; war multipies those difficulties. Pray that many will seek and find God, for He is not far from each of us.

Then panic struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God.
Saul's lookouts at Gibeah in Benjamin saw the army melting away in all directions. Then Saul said to the men who were with him, "Muster the forces and see who has left us." When they did, it was Jonathan and his armor-bearer who were not there.
Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God." (At that time it was with the Israelites.) While Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the Philistine camp increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand."
Then Saul and all his men assembled and went to the battle. They found the Philistines in total confusion, striking each other with their swords. Those Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and had gone up with them to their camp went over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. When all the Israelites who had hidden in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were on the run, they joined the battle in hot pursuit. So the LORD rescued Israel that day, and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven. 1 Samuel 14:15-23

God has an interesting way of mixing things up. "It was a panic sent by God." It was all God and it's kind of foolish to think otherwise in life. We try and strive and plod and think we're making great progress, and to some degree we are, but God has it all under control. Think God is sitting in his Huge Rocker fretting over the leader of Iran and what he'll do once he gets nukes? Laughable. Think God's concerned about the North Korean leader and his antics? Not a bit. And closer to home, do you think the President of the United States, past or present, is getting away with anything while God is on the throne? Not a chance.

Leaders often use the phrase "on my watch" to indicate the time he or she was in office. "That won't happen on my watch," or "It happened on the previous President's watch" are very common statements. Kingdoms come and go but they are all on God's watch. God has outlasted the kingdoms and rulers and subjects and all the evil that has ever existed. He's not going away despite the fact that he was tossed out of the schools and out of the public arena in the West. Just because a few overzealous bureaucrats and leaders dismiss Him as being irrelevant, God isn't going away (think about that last statement. Who's the irrelevant one?).

• He will be praised in the schools by those who seek Him.
• He will be praised at work and at the office and in Capitol buildings throughout the United States.
• He will be praised by those who seek Him in #10 Downing Street.
• He will be praised by those seeking Him in the Chinese government.

Walls cannot keep Him out. Doors cannot lock Him in.

So, while Saul assembled his men to fight, God went before the Israelites to pave their way. He was in control of the world then, He's in control now.

One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man bearing his armor, "Come, let's go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side." But he did not tell his father. Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron. With him were about six hundred men, among whom was Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod's brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD's priest in Shiloh. No one was aware that Jonathan had left.
On each side of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost was a cliff; one was called Bozez, and the other Seneh. 5 One cliff stood to the north toward Micmash, the other to the south toward Geba.
Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, "Come, let's go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few."
"Do all that you have in mind," his armor-bearer said. "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul." 1 Samuel 14:1-7

Jonathan's still a teen and decides he wanted to be heroic. Kids do that. He could have been easily killed. But he and his body guard weren't and they caused no small commotion in the Philistine camp. The rest of the chapter recounts what exactly happened.

This devotional is simple. Often the children of leaders get overlooked. The parents are the leaders, but the kids are still under scrutiny for actions that are typical of kids growing up. They don't get a chance to grow up without bodyguards and protection and cameras and adoring fans. It can be wearisome because they didn't sign up for the job but are still under the same light.

Pray for the children of the leaders who are over you. They carry a burden of the public spotlight that you and I don't have to carry. Pray also that the parents will instill into those kids character-building traits: honesty, courage, decency. Pray that God would soften their hearts towards Him.

Saul and his son Jonathan and the men with them were staying in Gibeah in Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Micmash. Raiding parties went out from the Philistine camp in three detachments. One turned toward Ophrah in the vicinity of Shual, another toward Beth Horon, and the third toward the borderland overlooking the Valley of Zeboim facing the desert. Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, "Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!" So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plowshares, mattocks, axes and sickles sharpened. The price was two thirds of a shekel for sharpening plowshares and mattocks, and a third of a shekel for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads. So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them. Jonathan Attacks the Philistines Now a detachment of Philistines had gone out to the pass at Micmash. 1 Samuel 13:16-23

By the tone of the passage, you'd think that the Israelites and Philistines were best friends. Nothing could be further from the truth. And yet, the Israelites had to depend on the Philistines to sharpen their tools and weapons. You have to know that the Philistines were thinking of ways to deceive and defeat even as their weapons were in the repair shop.

It has been said that "politics makes strange bedfellows." What is meant by that is that sometimes out of necessity you have to make friends with people you despise. In fact we have another saying that goes right along that: the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Let me give you a concrete example. In the early 1980s the United States was friends with the Afghans. They had absolutely nothing to offer the United States except that we were enemies with the Soviet Union. When the USSR invaded Afghanistan in 1979, the United States immediately sought ways of befriending some fairly unsavory character in Afghanistan. Those same people today are using some of the technology and weaponry against the United States as it fights terrorists.

Most countries make strange pacts and agreements with other nations. Thank God for his sovereignty over the nations! Praise Him that He has the entire universe under control despite the odd and even evil alliances nations must make.

Nothing surprises Him. He is in control.

Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. "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 Micmash, 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 acted foolishly," 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 leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD's command." 1 Samuel 13:10-14

"Rut Roh!" That will probably be the only reference I ever make to the cartoon character Scooby Doo but it certainly fit here. You can almost hear Saul gulp when he realizes that Samuel is nearby. No kind of explaining away would work. Saul had erred and tried to cover over it. 

"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 leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD's command."

Seems like a very harsh punishment, doesn't it? It was Saul's first real test as King of Israel and he failed miserably. Again, as in a previous devotion, we don't know the extent of the agreement between Saul, Samuel and the Lord, but Saul didn't really put up a fight so he knew he was in the wrong. How would you like to continue on as King after that kind of rebuke, and from a man that Saul had to have respected greatly.

Throughout this series on the Kings of the Old Testament I will again ask you to pray for your leaders. Pray for the judges who must make wise choices and discern many difficult cases. If you're in the U.S. pray for the Supreme Court Justices by name: John Roberts, Samuel Alito, Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Anthony Kennedy, Antonin Scalia, David Souter, John Paul Stevens,
Clarence Thomas. Pray that God would guide them as only He can.

The Philistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Micmash, east of Beth Aven. When the men of Israel saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns. Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul's men began to scatter. So he said, "Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings." And Saul offered up the burnt offering. 1 Samuel 13:5-10

The Philistines clearly outnumbered the Israelites. The Israelite cowered in fear. Then as the Israelites were scattering, Saul decides to offer a burnt offering, hoping that the Lord would look favorably upon that sacrifice. It's not recorded, but Samuel had told Saul to wait for him for seven days. Scripture doesn't tell us what the actual agreement was. Saul waited but Samuel didn't show. The new King Saul was impatient. He obviously trusted the prophet of God to arrive when he said he would. It's clear from the following text (starting at verse 11) that Saul knew the right thing to do but didn't do it.

Again, we see our leaders knowing the right thing to do in many instances but failing to do it. It seems it's like that in issue after issue after issue. One of my favorite quotes is from a radio show host and columnist in Minnesota, Joe Soucheray, "If we don't stay on them, they're gonna get it wrong."

Pray that our leaders and politicians do the right thing in every circumstance. Many, many things are black and white. They are non-negotiable. Those are the "things" I'm referring to.

Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years. Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand were with him at Micmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. The rest of the men he sent back to their homes. 1 Samuel 13:1-2

Saul is starting to step into his reign. He's a young man with great ambitions. From the Scripture, he uses his "resources" carefully. No more than is absolutely necessary to finish the job. He entrusted his son Jonathan with a third of the men to go to Gibeah. Jonathan himself couldn't have been more than fifteen or sixteen. Ruling a land at 30 takes a lot of wisdom and courage. At such a young age, you will be criticized and harassed with every action you take.

We have seen rulers around the world who were very young. Many came into power through their parents. There are young leaders of varying degrees of power in all of our lands. We probably can't pray for these leaders enough. There are thousands of pressures and temptations to do things that would give them gratification in the short term but would undermine the laws of their land. Pray for your leaders.

Samuel said to all Israel, "I have listened to everything you said to me and have set a king over you. Now you have a king as your leader. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day. Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the LORD and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these, I will make it right."…. "Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes! Is it not wheat harvest now? I will call upon the LORD to send thunder and rain. And you will realize what an evil thing you did in the eyes of the LORD when you asked for a king." Then Samuel called upon the LORD, and that same day the LORD sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe of the LORD and of Samuel. 1 Samuel 12:1-3, 16-18

The entire Chapter 12 of First Samuel is a fascinating read. Before Samuel departs Saul so that he could rule the people, he has a few words for the Israelites. It was a wise man in that society giving the people advice. It happens in all societies. We certainly need more wise men and women in to dwell among us. We need that wisdom that comes from 70 or 80 years of real-world, hard-knocks, tell-it-like-it-is experience. We definitely need to elevate those in our society who possess that Godly wisdom.

And most certainly, we need those wise men and women of God who will pray for us. I had one of those women of God pray me into the Kingdom of God. She has since departed this earth, but it was sure nice to know that someone of that caliber "had my back" so to speak. Praise God for men and women like that.

Perhaps you're in that age group and have already taken on the challenge of praying for someone 50 or 60 years younger (or even more than one person!). Keep at it! They will certainly need your prayers. You are a blessing to that person.

Or perhaps you're in your twenties. Seek out those Godly men and women, and ask them to pray for you, even if it's for only one or two minutes a day. You will certainly not be turned away or laughed at for such a request.

The people then said to Samuel, "Who was it that asked, 'Shall Saul reign over us?' Bring these men to us and we will put them to death." But Saul said, "No one shall be put to death today, for this day the LORD has rescued Israel." Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gilgal and there reaffirm the kingship." So all the people went to Gilgal and confirmed Saul as king in the presence of the LORD. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings before the LORD, and Saul and all the Israelites held a great celebration. 1 Samuel 11:12-15

When you first read this, it's almost as if the people have what is termed "buyer's remorse." This is what happens almost immediately after you purchase something expensive and regret it. Something similar happens in politics: you choose somebody and after further examination while the person is in office, you regret your decision. But we also see that Saul is starting to play the role of the diplomat, trying to smooth the rough edges of the people. They go to Gilgal and are "on the same page," seemingly for the first time in his brief reign.

Leaders strike a delicate balance at times. They have to make difficult decisions at times and will never please all of the people all of the time.

Pray for your nation's leaders. They must make difficult decisions amidst enormous pressures from many sides. Pray that they will have wise and upright counsel.

Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to him, "Make a treaty with us, and we will be subject to you." But Nahash the Ammonite replied, "I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace on all Israel."

The elders of Jabesh said to him, "Give us seven days so we can send messengers throughout Israel; if no one comes to rescue us, we will surrender to you." When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and reported these terms to the people, they all wept aloud. Just then Saul was returning from the fields, behind his oxen, and he asked, "What is wrong with the people? Why are they weeping?" Then they repeated to him what the men of Jabesh had said.

When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God came upon him in power, and he burned with anger. He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel, proclaiming, "This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel." Then the terror of the LORD fell on the people, and they turned out as one man. 1 Samuel 11:1-7

The quiet, gentle man we knew as Saul didn't seem to last long, did it? We see him making Godfather-type actions (cutting up the oxen) long before the Godfather was around. Prior to this, the last place we find Saul is just after many people found him hiding in the baggage. The Israelites had wanted a leader and now they have one. He didn't spend time fretting over a threat by a man named Nahash.  He took control of the situation before the people were able to fret longer.

Good leaders seem to be like that. Saul made a fairly quick decision based on the information he was given. There was room for doubt and error and misunderstandings, but he made the decision anyhow.

In most situations, you will not be 100% sure of the outcome. And rarely does anyone have 100% of the information needed. At best, we get 80-85% of the necessary information. But still decisions have to be made. If you're right, you're right. If you make a mistake because of a decision you made without all of the information, correct it and move on. If you're like me, you can spend a lot of time fretting over mistakes made instead of letting go and moving on.

They ran and brought him out, and as he stood among the people he was a head taller than any of the others. Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see the man the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people." Then the people shouted, "Long live the king!" Samuel explained to the people the regulations of the kingship. He wrote them down on a scroll and deposited it before the LORD. Then Samuel dismissed the people, each to his own home. Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched. But some troublemakers said, "How can this fellow save us?" They despised him and brought him no gifts. But Saul kept silent. 1 Samuel 10:23-27

No matter where you go in life, you're going to run into troublemakers. That's perhaps the Understatement of the Decade. In every setting, in every company, in every church, in every political party or movement, you'll find troublemakers.

People can become mean and vindictive, but you don't have to.
People can gossip, but you don't have to.
People can question your authority; let them.
People can slander and malign other leaders, but you don't have to.
People can despise you; there's nothing you can do about another man's heart.

Saul was still trying to find his way when these troublemakers talked badly about him. When the time was right, I'm almost certain that Saul took control of the situation, and these rabble rousers got what was coming to them.

For every slanderous word, for every gossiped rumor, for every spiteful thought, God is listening. To "them" and to us.

Samuel summoned the people of Israel to the LORD at Mizpah and said to them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the power of Egypt and all the kingdoms that oppressed you.' But you have now rejected your God, who saves you out of all your calamities and distresses. And you have said, 'No, set a king over us.' So now present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and clans."

When Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. Then he brought forward the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, and Matri's clan was chosen. Finally Saul son of Kish was chosen. But when they looked for him, he was not to be found. So they inquired further of the LORD, "Has the man come here yet?"
      And the LORD said, "Yes, he has hidden himself among the baggage."  1 Samuel 10:17-22

One of Saul's first acts as King of Israel is to hide among the baggage. The LORD told Saul he was to be the first King of Israel. Saul cowered when it mattered (and we read about that fear 3000 years later). He was a mere boy and he was afraid. Let's be honest, no one ever taught him how to lead or to be a king. There was no manual on How to be Rule an Obstinate People. I find myself liking Saul the Younger more and more. Later in life he turns into a walking monster but for now, he's like you and me. Afraid. Alone. Out of his element.

So, I guess the question I have to ask is this: what are you afraid of? Is there something you don't want to do but you are still hiding from God about? Can you answer this, "I would be terrified if God were to tell me to do x." What is that x? We all have our insecurities and fears and doubts and times when we're completely lost and out of our element. Let's acknowledge those anxieties before God so that we can work through them.

We are children of the Almighty King. We don't belong in the baggage area

Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on Saul's head and kissed him, saying, "Has not the LORD anointed you leader over his inheritance?

"Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do."  As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul's heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day.1 Samuel 10:1-9

Finally the times comes for Samuel to anoint Saul. The prophet of God gave Saul specific instructions about where he would find the donkeys he was looking for, food, and the procession of prophets. He knew that Saul would be too excited to worry about food and the donkeys, so he had to be instructed in detail. Samuel even told Saul that he would be changed into a different person after the Spirit of the LORD came upon him.

The key phrase in this passage seems to be that Saul would be a changed person when the Spirit of the LORD came upon him. Granted, not all of us are leaders, but we can certainly learn from Saul: when the Spirit of the LORD comes on us, we should be changed.

That's the challenge we all face, because like D.L. Moody said when someone asked why he asked often to be filled with the Holy Spirit, "Because I leak."

I can relate.

Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and seated them at the head of those who were invited—about thirty in number. Samuel said to the cook, "Bring the piece of meat I gave you, the one I told you to lay aside." So the cook took up the leg with what was on it and set it in front of Saul. Samuel said, "Here is what has been kept for you. Eat, because it was set aside for you for this occasion, from the time I said, 'I have invited guests.' " And Saul dined with Samuel that day.

After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof of his house. They rose about daybreak and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, "Get ready, and I will send you on your way." When Saul got ready, he and Samuel went outside together. As they were going down to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, "Tell the servant to go on ahead of us"-and the servant did so-"but you stay here awhile, so that I may give you a message from God." 1 Samuel 9:22-27

Samuel was all about pampering Saul and preparing him for a work. I'm sure Saul didn't know what to think of all the fuss. Think of a person you really really respect serving you hand and foot. You'd be puzzled too. And then Samuel says that he has a message from God for Saul.

I find like to be like that on occasion. A number of years ago, my wife and I traveled to Kenya and Sudan for a medical missions trip. After we had boarded and were ready to be seated, the flight attendant singled us out and called us forward. We thought they would be questioning what was in my wife's baggage (artificial legs and feet). No, the attendant walked us to First Class and sat us down separately and said it was an upgrade. For the next eight hours we enjoyed First Class seating and service. Why? To this day I'm not sure because some of our team (doctors) were still in the rear of the plane. Needless to say it was an enjoyable flight.

So why did this happen? No idea. You see, both of us were unemployed at the time but both of us felt we should make the trip using a lot of our own money. I have to admit I had some doubts about whether it was the right thing to do. The upgrade was as if God was saying, "I can take care of you on the way over AND after you return home." He knew what we needed at the time. It wasn't something we prayed for or sought. It was something we accepted.

Sometimes you just have to sit back and soak in the goodness of God.

Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, "Would you please tell me where the seer's house is?" "I am the seer," Samuel replied. "Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you are to eat with me, and in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is in your heart. As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and all your father's family?" Saul answered, "But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?" 1 Samuel 9:18-21

Based on what we know about Saul in his later years, it comes as a surprise to us that he's very humble and respectful to Samuel. He knows what tribe he's from (youngest and the least of the 12 tribes of Israel), and is puzzled by the prophet Samuel's words. Saul seems to be saying to Samuel, "are you sure you know what you're doing?"

Samuel is silent. On the one hand Samuel recognized the potential problems that Saul will face as a king (after all, God said it would be unwise to have a king, so it must be a headache-filled position). But on the other hand, he knows that it will be a fulfilling responsibility, something that people will be talking about 3000 years later.

We can learn from Saul's humility; we will learn a very different lesson about the arrogance and heavy handedness he displayed in the later years of his life. Humility is such a forgotten virtue these days. You are constantly required to sell yourself. Sometimes you begin to believe your own resume. In fact, the world views humility as a weakness. Don't believe a word of it. If anything, it's a strength that too few possess.

There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. He had a son named Saul, an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites—a head taller than any of the others. Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed this to Samuel: "About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him leader over my people Israel; he will deliver my people from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked upon my people, for their cry has reached me."  When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the LORD said to him, "This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people." 1 Samuel 9:1-2, 15-17

Prior to Saul being anointed as the leader in Israel, the people had cried out that they had wanted a leader, even though the Lord had said that it wouldn't be a good idea. It's interesting that the Bible says that he was "without equals among the Israelites," a reference to his height. Kish sent his son and his servant on a trip to find Kish's lost donkeys. On the journey Saul and the servant came across Samuel. Saul had no idea what was about to happen; Samuel knew exactly what would happen.

Many Christians say they don't believe in coincidences. The thing is, you never know when you're about to do something that is "God ordained." Rarely do you think that the hour long traffic delay or the wrong turn you just took could in fact be God directing your path (or slowing you down). It is only later when you view the events of the day that you discover the accident you avoided. It happens every day.

Instead of looking for the large God-ordained events in our lives, we should be on the lookout for small God-ordained things: the natural smile you give the overworked, underpaid cashier, the courtesy you give drivers all around you, or the unexpected kindness you show your employees. By such acts, you could be acting on God's behalf towards those people. Instead of being blessed, we can bless.

But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD…
But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles." When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king." Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Everyone go back to his town." 1 Samuel 8:6, 19-22

Poor Samuel. He had the unenviable job of representing the people to God and God to the people. From experience he had known that what God says is good, it must be good, and what He says is bad should be totally avoided. God knew his people. He knew how they would act under royalty. But because the cry of the people became so loud, He let Israel have a king.

We see this kind of behavior often in the world. Some call it "mob rule" or "herd mentality." We saw it with Moses and the people of Israel. And of course, we saw it as Pilate presented Jesus to the people.

Crucify Him, crucify Him!
But he's done nothing wrong!
Crucify Him!

It is next to impossible to calm a reckless and violent crowd. And when people in a large group get in their minds that they want something that is contrary to sound Biblical teaching ("Death to Israel" chant comes to mind), occasionally God gives it to them. The old saying still matters, "Be careful what you ask for in prayer. You just might get it."

(this is a first devotional in the series about Kings in the Bible)

Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge. Proverbs 19:27

I used to think that knowledge was the key to life. What I mean by that is, I once thought that if we were all enlightened and went to college, we would know how to solve the world's problems. In fact, with so much collective knowledge out there, why aren't the world's problems solved?

But there's knowledge and there's instruction. We often equate the two, and sometimes they're related. More often than not, though, they're as different as night and day. You can get knowledge from a book or an internet site. An instructor can impart knowledge. However, Instruction is a personal thing. "Instruction" is that same teacher having a heart to heart with you after class and telling you that you don't need to misbehave like so and so does in order to be accepted. Instruction is having "that talk" with your child before his or her peers talk about it. Instruction is the wisdom and wise counsel that goes along with those types of scenarios. 

Never stop seeking instruction from those who have been on thr path we're on. Jesus offers us instruction as well, if we'll accept it.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

Sometimes we just need to acknowledge the obvious.