2 Chronicles 9:1-8 (NIV)

When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind. Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her. When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, as well as the palace he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, the cupbearers in their robes and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed.

She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard. How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the LORD your God. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them forever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness.”

Explanation:

God came to King Solomon in a dream and told him to ask for anything. He could have asked for wisdom, power, fame, riches… But Solomon knew, in order to be a good king, he would need to make good choices, so he asked God for wisdom. God rewarded Solomon for this choice, and even enhanced it with fame and wealth. This made Israel rich, and Solomon’s reputation spread for thousands of miles. People came from everywhere to hear the wise king’s advice. Every ruler on earth had heard of him and his unrivaled wisdom.

The Queen of Sheba (Ethiopia and Yemen today) was one such ruler. She had to see for herself though, so she decided to make the 1,200-mile trek to question this wise king. It’s approximately 1,200 miles from Lancaster, Ohio to the Florida Keys. The Queen traveled this distance by camel, with an entourage of staff and riches. This was an uncomfortable, dangerous trip, but she knew she had to commune with the king to satisfy her doubts. Have you ever wondered about or puzzled over something in this way?

The queen opened up her heart and mind to Solomon, and tested him with riddles. Solomon answered every one of her questions, and she was in awe of what she had witnessed. She was overwhelmed with the beauty and success of his kingdom, and her heart melted at his access to God through the temple. Even Solomon’s servants were content. The Queen of Sheba complimented Solomon on his successes, and recognized God had chosen him to be king because God loved Israel so much. Solomon had even exceeded his famous reputation. He had unified Israel under peace, stabilized the economy, and built magnificent structures. He was a master administrator of a well-oiled machine, and she was overwhelmed.

Solomon was able to accomplish these things because he sought after and trusted God’s wisdom rather than his own. Solomon became a hero, not because of riches or power, but because he used the wisdom God gave him. Like Solomon, we can also pray for and trust God’s wisdom. The wisdom God gives us is the most valuable gift of all.

Action Steps:

1. Go to Jesus for wisdom, as the Queen of Sheba went to Solomon.

2. Is there anything that keeps you from being confident that God has all the answers?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, help us continue to seek Your wisdom and remember how much You love us. Forgive us when we seek worldly pleasures and pull away from You. Catch us before we lose focus on heaven, and redirect our thoughts toward You. Thank You for being in our corner and fighting our battles for us, even when we may not understand Your ways. In Jesus’s name we pray. Amen.

2 Chronicles 6:40-7:5 (NLT)

“O my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to all the prayers made to you in this place.

“And now arise, O Lord God, and enter your resting place,

along with the Ark, the symbol of your power.

May your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation;

may your loyal servants rejoice in your goodness.

O Lord God, do not reject the king you have anointed.

Remember your unfailing love for your servant David.”

When Solomon finished praying, fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple. The priests could not enter the Temple of the Lord because the glorious presence of the Lord filled it. When all the people of Israel saw the fire coming down and the glorious presence of the Lord filling the Temple, they fell face down on the ground and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying,

“He is good!

His faithful love endures forever!”

Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices to the Lord. King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats. And so the king and all the people dedicated the Temple of God.

Explanation:

I love a good interior design or home makeover show. From Fixer Upper to Property Brothers, from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to organizing shows like Marie Kondo’s, I love watching how the expert interior designers come in and take charge! They first spend time getting rid of unwanted and unneeded items to create a space, then carefully choose things that instead bring beauty, color, and joy into the room. The shows always end with “before and after” photos that show such inviting spaces that function and flow so much better for the owner’s needs… and usually with me looking around at my surroundings wanting to do the same thing!

In today’s passage, King Solomon has finally completed his long and elaborate building of the Temple in Jerusalem. We join him as he is praying in front of all his people, dedicating the Temple to God, and asking God to arise and rest there with them. When he finished his very bold prayer, an amazing thing happened: “fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple.”

Reading this Scripture made me yearn “for the glorious presence of the Lord” to fill not only my surroundings, but more importantly, my own heart. 1 Corinthians 3:16 and 1 Peter 2:5 refer to us as God’s temple, because the Spirit of God comes to dwell in us when we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. But so often, instead of creating a space for the glory of God to fill me, I find myself overburdened with various responsibilities, unnecessary worries, and unbalanced priorities. Every decision I make has an impact within me as well as outside of me. I need to replace the clutter of discontent with the soft textures of His peace, throw out the dissonance of frustration to make place for His joy, and replace distractions with things that honor and host His presence. I need to actively clear out my heart and mind to invite God, in all His glory, to find His resting place within me!

Action Step:

1. Take a moment right now, before other things fill up your day, to reflect on whether you have been creating and maintaining space for God in your heart and in your life. Is it furnished and filled with things that honor the glorious presence of the Almighty God to live in you?

2. Listen to the new song LION by Elevation Worship, and use that time to pray for the Spirit of God to reveal things that are taking up too much space in your mind and heart. What needs to be actively devalued in your life so you can better prepare the way for God’s presence?

Prayer:

Lord God, my mind and heart are filled with so many things and so much clutter. Show me how I can create space for You to dwell in, Lord! Help me clear myself out, God, and create a sacred place fo

2 Chronicles 1:1, 6-12 (ESV)

Now Solomon the son of David established himself securely over his kingdom, and the Lord his God was with him and exalted him greatly.

And Solomon went up there before the Lord to the bronze altar which was at the tent of meeting, and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it. In that night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask what I shall give you.” And Solomon said to God, “You have dealt with my father David with great faithfulness, and have made me king in his place. Now, Lord God, Your promise to my father David is fulfilled, for You have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. Now give me wisdom and knowledge, so that I may go out and come in before this people, for who can rule this great people of Yours?” Then God said to Solomon, “Because this was in your heart, and you did not ask for riches, wealth, or honor, or the life of those who hate you, nor did you even ask for long life, but you asked for yourself wisdom and knowledge so that you may rule My people over whom I have made you king, wisdom and knowledge have been granted to you. I will also give you riches, wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings who were before you has possessed, nor will those who will come after you.”

Explanation:

“Ask what shall I give you?” What? Are you kidding me? What do I have to do to get an offer like that? Where is this bronze altar and what are the thousand burnt offerings?

My questions explain why Solomon got an offer like that and I never did! His prayer was not for himself; rather, it was about God's mission, plan, and purpose that He had entrusted to Solomon. My prayer times are rarely focused on God's mission, plans, or purposes. My prayers rarely go through the filter of God's objective. Perhaps that's the problem. Maybe you can relate.

At first glance, I'm guessing that the lesson we're supposed to get from this passage is not that God is going to make another offer like that anytime soon. So then what is a lesson, the golden nugget, a take-away?

First off, note something: before King Solomon got this amazing offer from God, he was simply being obedient. He wasn’t asking God for anything. Solomon had been showing great wisdom already as he was obediently leading the people. The passage tells us he had established himself over his kingdom. He had made the Lord “his God” (verse 1). He exalted and praised God (verses 8-9). Solomon also knew he needed to come before the Lord and present an offering that was acceptable to God.

I think Solomon was also demonstrating a picture of how we should pray:

1. Praise and exaltation towards God

2. Put God’s purposes first

3. Approach with a good heart and not a self-serving one

God acknowledged and blessed those things in Solomon. So let us be more like Solomon, using wisdom to obey in what God wants us to do, taking time to exalt and praise God, and always being mindful of what God's mission, plan, and purposes are. Ultimately, we will always need more wisdom and we need to remember to ask God for more wisdom daily.

Action Step:

1. Take a moment right now to reflect on what your prayers have been filled with lately. Are you functioning from praise and putting God’s purposes first?

2. What is God’s mission, plan, or purpose that you see for your life? Are you praying for wisdom daily in how to better accomplish it?

Prayer:

Dear God, I come before You today with praise for who You are! You are a faithful, promise keeping God! Thank You that You are always looking to bless me, and that You are always working to accomplish and finish the work You have begun in me. I ask You today to give me wisdom! Give me wisdom in my work, in my relationships, and in my own mind and heart. Help me accomplish the purposes You have set forth for my life! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Acts 13:16-25 (NLT)

So Paul stood, lifted his hand to quiet them, and started speaking. “Men of Israel,” he said, “and you God-fearing Gentiles, listen to me.

“The God of this nation of Israel chose our ancestors and made them multiply and grow strong during their stay in Egypt. Then with a powerful arm he led them out of their slavery. He put up with them through forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Then he destroyed seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to Israel as an inheritance. All this took about 450 years.

“After that, God gave them judges to rule until the time of Samuel the prophet. Then the people begged for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned for forty years. But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’

“And it is one of King David’s descendants, Jesus, who is God’s promised Savior of Israel! Before he came, John the Baptist preached that all the people of Israel needed to repent of their sins and turn to God and be baptized. As John was finishing his ministry he asked, ‘Do you think I am the Messiah? No, I am not! But he is coming soon—and I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the sandals on his feet.’

Explanation:

“A legacy is passed from one generation to the next and often refers to gifts of money or property. However, leaving a personal legacy involves more than the financial assets you bestow on the younger generation.” ~Bestow.com

When we look back on our ancestry, we can make a list of traditions, habits, and skills that have been passed down from generation to generation. Even if they are not a part of our everyday lives now, they are still associated with our families and have impacted who we are today. In my family, we have property that has never left the family lineage since it was established over 200 years ago. The home I live in was built by my great-great-grandparents in 1804. The road we live on was named after the family, and my parents and cousins also live on this road. Because I live in the family homestead, I was given the family Bible. In between the Scriptures, you will find evidences of my family tree. There are locks of hair, photos, birth records, baptism dates, and death certificates that date back to the late 1800’s. The way this house and this Bible have been cared for and passed down from generation to generation are just examples of the ongoing legacy my family has created. Our roots are deep in the community and in faith.

The Jewish people were very familial and set in traditions, too. When Paul had the opportunity to speak in the synagogue, he knew the best way to get their attention and understanding was to build the connection of King David’s legacy to Jesus. David was chosen by God because his heart was aligned with obeying His commands. He had a heart of repentance that kept him humble. God knew that placing David as king would usher in God’s spirit, bringing stability and saving His chosen people from chaos and destruction during the reign of Saul. Through David, God set into motion a legacy that would continue through the generations, leading up to Jesus being born.

Action Steps:

1. Write down some family traditions. Even if you no longer do them, traditions give us all a sense of belonging. Think about some of the family traditions you had as a child, or even those you’ve heard about from long-lost relatives. These are your family legacies.

2. Now think about what kind of personal legacy you want to pass on. List them. These do not need to match your family legacies. This is your opportunity to create a legacy that will encourage others toward Christ, and continue on long after you’re gone.

Prayer:

God, thank You for always directing our paths, and placing people into our lives who will lead us back to You. I want to align my heart with Yours, so

Psalm 51:1-17 (ESV)

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Explanation:

Yesterday, we read that David was anointed king of Israel by the prophet Samuel, and “from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power” (1 Samuel 16:13). This changed the trajectory of David’s life, but we also know that David still sinned. Under the weight of his convoluted, covered-up sins, he appealed to the only One who had power to save him.

David begins with a humble plea for God to have mercy on him. He knows God is just, but it is His mercy, His grace, His forgiveness that David pleads for. God’s justice alone would bring David no closer to reconciliation, since justice requires his actions to be punished. David never speaks of his specific sins, focusing instead on God’s goodness. He contrasts the beautiful qualities of His loving God (steadfast, merciful, blameless) with the brokenness of his own life (transgressions, iniquity, sin). He knows he doesn’t deserve God’s mercy, just as we don’t in our sin. He asks God to “blot out” his transgressions, which equates to removing them completely; again, he acknowledges that only God can rightfully cleanse him.

But even after all of his bad decisions, David doesn’t try to hide from his sins. He brings his brokenness before God and lays his sins at God’s feet, hopeful and expectant, relying on the forgiveness of the God he knows intimately and still loves with all of his heart. He acknowledges that he was born into sin, and that it will continue to plague him for the rest of his life, just like it will us.

David then seeks restoration from God. David understands that his inner self, not outward sacrifices, is key to true repentance, and it is this honesty that eventually brings him renewal. He knows that his worst punishment would be for God’s presence to depart from him, and he begs God not to let this happen, promising to tell others about God and sing His praises forevermore.

David’s model is so important for us, because in every stage of his prayer, he confesses it is God alone who restores. David repented, and his life was redeemed. It took humility, vulnerability and a true heart for God, but it led to genuine change. This was God’s rhythm for David, and it is His rhythm for us!

Action Step:

1. This psalm finds David at rock bottom. Like him, this is often the only place we can find true humility, when we have nothing left. Think about the reasons why we let ourselves get to this place before we decide to turn to God. Then ask Him for His help in changing

2 Samuel 12:1-14 (NIV)

The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.

“Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.”

David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.”

Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’”

Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord, the son born to you will die.”

Explanation:

Sin can't be hidden from God, and it has consequences. King David had done some very evil things. When you look at God's Ten Commandments, you can see that David disobeyed three of them. He first coveted after another man's wife. Then he broke the seventh commandment by committing adultery. Lastly, he murdered a man, which goes against the sixth commandment. Since David reacted so quickly to condemn the man in this story, it seems that David must have been trying to rid his guilty conscience by passing judgment on someone else. But after the prophet Nathan confronted him, David's heart was pierced with shame and disgust for what he had done.

Have you ever been confronted by someone else regarding some things you were doing that were not pleasing to God? Have you been directed by God to challenge a friend about their behaviors? Nathan had a close relationship with David. I read this about David and Nathan's friendship: “Nathan the prophet was a blessing to King David. He was a close, trusted friend. He spoke truth to David, even when that truth was difficult to hear. He was loyal in his service to the king and faithful to God and His Word. These are all important traits to possess in any friendship. It says something that David and Bathsheba later named one of their sons Nathan.”

If God has confronted you with unforgiven sins, take some time right now to ask for forgiveness. Jesus paid the price for our sins by dying on the cross. All you need to do is what David did. He confessed that he had sinned.

If God is directing you to talk with a friend about an area in their life that is not pleasing to God, take these important steps first. You can read further about these steps at https://www.crossway.org/articles/7-tips-for-confronting-a-friend-in-sin/

Confront yo

2 Samuel 11:1-5, 14-16 (ESV)

In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.”

In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die.” And as Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant men.

Explanation:

Technology has changed quite significantly in my lifetime. Looking back, I remember there were many times when pieces of technology were jam packed full of wires and cords. It seemed like you needed about a gazillion specialized cords just to get one piece of tech up and running. If your home was anything like mine, you probably also had a box for any extra, spare, or old cords that were not currently in use. Any time you needed anything from that box, what you would always find was a jumbled nest of cords all woven together in some intricate puzzling way that would require a degree from Harvard to figure out how to untangle. I never understood how something could go into that box all neatly wound up, and over time end up like it did.

This is the image I get when I reflect on the complicated mess that sin creates in our lives. On occasion, I find myself unrealistically expecting that sin should be something easy to identify, withstand, and overcome. Yet, it turns out to be quite the opposite. Often, sin makes a jumbled mess of our thoughts and actions, and can become such an ingrained part of our living that we fail to even recognize its impact. We can become so tangled in our sinful mess that it can feel impossible to right.

King David, who we read about today in our Scriptures, found himself in one of these jumbled messes. What started off as one sin soon escalated into numerous sins, which entangled every part of his life. In the book of James, we get such a clear description of the progression of sin in one’s life. James 1:14-15 says, “[E}ach person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his OWN desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” (emphasis added). I capitalized the word “own” on purpose, because it shows us that sin is a very unique, personal thing to each and every one of us. The same was true for King David. Sin brought spiritual and physical death to his life, and to his relationships with God and others. It is a very vivid picture of how sin can weave itself into our lives and leave us a bundled mess. However, like He did for David, God offers us an untangling hope through His grace and mercy. We must choose, though, to walk in the ways that He offers.

Action Steps:

1. Dedicate some time today during your lunchtime to have a conversation with God about your sin. Use this time to do the following:

a. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any unknown sin to you.

b. Confess your sin to God.

c. Tell Jesus that you receive His mercy for your sin.

d. Ask God to help you determine through His Spirit and Scripture how to repent from your sin.

Prayer:

Lord, You know exactly what it is like to be tempted by sin. Lord, You know my heart and my sinful desires. I am not alone in my sin. You not only have

1 Samuel 16:6-13 (NLT)

When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!”

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Then Jesse told his son Abinadab to step forward and walk in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “This is not the one the Lord has chosen.” Next Jesse summoned Shimea, but Samuel said, “Neither is this the one the Lord has chosen.” In the same way all seven of Jesse’s sons were presented to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?”

“There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats.”

“Send for him at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”

So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes.

And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.”

So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.

Explanation:

Recently one of my grandchildren was lamenting children on the school playground, who professed to be Christians but were not being kind. My grandchild said, “They need to get their church personality onto the playground!”

Hmmm…

I hate when my playground personality overrides my church personality.

I know where that playground is; it’s in my divided heart.

What exactly is God looking for in a heart?

What caught God’s eye from His throne on high, regarding a teenage David, shepherding sheep and spending days beside still waters and green pastures? What tipped God off that David could effectively lead the nation of Israel better than anyone, especially Saul?

What defining attribute propelled David from the pasture to the palace?

Acts 13:22 (NLT)

But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said,

‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart.

He will do everything I want him to do.’

God trusted David to listen and act. It makes so much sense. God loves the simplicity of someone following His instructions. Of course, God gave David the leadership position over His chosen people, because David had:

✔️ The courage to listen to God and obey

✔️ The humility to listen to God and obey

✔️ The wisdom to listen to God and obey

✔️ The intelligence to listen to God and obey

✔️ The dignity to listen to God and obey

David was SUCH king material. When Samuel calls for David, he finds a 15-year-old boy with a heart in great spiritual shape, living quietly in the will of God, doing his duty, minding his sheep, fighting off predators, and happy in the Lord.

That is a simple yet powerful way to live life. God loves useability.

Saul was the first king over Israel, and ended up refusing God’s direction, falling on his own sword and dying.

David was God's ideal king. God wanted a king with a shepherd's heart for Israel. God's heavenly gaze upon that young man’s heart saw moldability, trust, and clarity…someone He could trust to lead well, His way.

✔️The people had elected Saul

✔️God selected David

✔️Saul had been a herder of mules

✔️David was a keeper of sheep

✔️Saul was used to driving

✔️David was used to leading

David did not have a divided heart.

He pursued God’s heart.

Action Step:

What God is looking for is a heart He can change.

Because your heart is such a private place that only God can peer into, an action step has to actually COME FROM your heart. I have been challenged so emphatically by today’s verses that I am asking God to reveal to me what I don’t know about my heart. I need Him to know what I don’t know.

I’m uttering this several times a day, “God show me, m

1 Samuel 15:17-26 (NLT)

And Samuel told him, “Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord has anointed you king of Israel. And the Lord sent you on a mission and told you, ‘Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, until they are all dead.’ Why haven’t you obeyed the Lord? Why did you rush for the plunder and do what was evil in the Lord’s sight?”

“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, goats, cattle, and plunder to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”

But Samuel replied,

“What is more pleasing to the Lord:

your burnt offerings and sacrifices

or your obedience to his voice?

Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,

and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.

Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft,

and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.

So because you have rejected the command of the Lord,

he has rejected you as king.”

Then Saul admitted to Samuel, “Yes, I have sinned. I have disobeyed your instructions and the Lord’s command, for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded. But now, please forgive my sin and come back with me so that I may worship the Lord.”

But Samuel replied, “I will not go back with you! Since you have rejected the Lord’s command, he has rejected you as king of Israel.”

Explanation:

Samuel was the spiritual leader of Israel during this time. Through Samuel, God gave a mission to King Saul, who was the military leader. Saul was commanded to destroy the entire Amalekite people as judgment from God. He prepares his men and leads them into battle. Unfortunately, Saul does not completely obey ALL God had told him. Saul does destroy most of the Amalekites, but he spares their king and all of their best livestock. Saul only obeyed in a manner that he found fit and comfortable. What Saul was about to learn, however, is that partial obedience is still disobedience. Disobedience to God will always come with consequences. Even after he was confronted, Saul was not sorry; he did not have a repentant heart for what he had done. Saul’s decisions and attitude showed that he was rejecting God, and as a result, God would reject Saul as king. Saul’s decision would also cause hardship for the kings who would follow.

Complete obedience is always the response we should have with God. God calls us to take steps of faith for our benefit, but also for the benefit of others. Although it can often be scary, seem impossible, or out of our comfort zone, there is always a greater purpose for it. When we walk out God’s calling in obedience, it shows that we have surrendered our will, our desires, and our wants to Him. When we walk in obedience, it increases our faith, and God honors it. Think about how different things could have been for Saul. If he had been fully obedient to God, his story would have been radically different. Saul could have been an incredible king who did amazing things for God and the people of Israel, but instead, his disobedience led his life in a different direction. The same is true for all of us. You never know what one act of obedience can lead to. God wants to use you for a greater purpose; all you have to do is say yes and walk in full obedience.

Action Steps:

1. What is God is calling you to do? Are you being obedient, or only partially obedient, to God’s calling?

2. How might your story turn out differently if you walk in full obedience?

3. Take some time today to seek God. Ask Him to be with you, to help you step out of your comfort zone and walk out His calling in completely obedience. I am positive He will do more with your obedience than you can even begin to imagine.

Prayer:

God, I am sorry for the times I have either been disobedient or partially obedient to the things You have called me to do. I come today with a

1 Samuel 9:1-2, 15-17; 10:1 (ESV)

There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.

Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed to Samuel: “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.” When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke to you! He it is who shall restrain my people.”

Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said, “Has not the Lord anointed you to be prince over his people Israel? And you shall reign over the people of the Lord and you will save them from the hand of their surrounding enemies. And this shall be the sign to you that the Lord has anointed you to be prince over his heritage.

Explanation:

We all can think of world and church leaders who abandoned their calling and were consumed by the darkness in their hearts. These are tragic stories of sin and destruction. No matter how the leader started, or the good they did, what seems to define them is the end of the story, their failure. King Saul is one of those tragic tales. His story sounds as if it were ripped straight from the headlines of today’s blogs and news outlets. His disobedience to God, his torment and attempted murder of David, the loss of respect of his people, and his tragic death all tell the tale of what brokenness and unrepentant sin can do to a leader and his people.

But we can’t forget the beginning. We can’t forget that God called Saul, anointed him, and used him in dynamic ways in the kingdom of Israel. We can’t forget that Saul’s leadership was legitimate, and the promised hope for Israel’s peace. We can’t forget the beginning, because if we do, we will never see the true warnings that come from Saul’s life. He will stand as a distant tragic figure who was evil, different than you and me. We will never see the potential we have inside of ourselves to make the same poor decisions (or worse) that Saul made. We will never work to protect ourselves from going down the same path as Saul. And the great hope and potential God begins in our lives will end up at the same broken destination as Saul.

You may say, “I am not a king and don’t have plans to be one.” Maybe, but you still have influence and responsibility for something: yourself (at the least), friendships, spouse, kids, position at work, employees, ministry. God has called you and anointed you for the responsibilities of your life. We all must have the character to realize that we are not above temptation. Our greatest hope to begin and end well is to trust God, and surround ourselves with the people and systems that will point us back to Him when we are tempted to look away.

Action Steps:

1. Identify a common temptation you struggle with.

2. List 5 things that you think will help keep you focused on God and accountable to your obedience to Him.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, the path to a life of obedience is riddled with temptation. But there is hope and a way. You have given us Your Spirit to warn and guide us, so fill us with the Spirit and help us to heed His voice. You have given us the church to teach us, and You have surrounded us with a community of people who can help us. Help us to recognize our temptations, and to get help to come through them faithfully. We want to end well, no matter what You have called us to. Amen.