What have"); document.writeln("you done? asked Samuel. Saul replied, When I saw that the men were scattering,"); document.writeln("and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were"); document.writeln("assembling at Mikmash, I thought, Now the Philistines will come down against"); document.writeln("me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord\'€™s favor. So I felt compelled to"); document.writeln("offer the burnt offering. You have done a foolish thing, Samuel said. You"); document.writeln("have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you, if you had, he would have"); document.writeln("established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will"); document.writeln("not endure, the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him"); document.writeln("ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord\'€™s command.1
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Saul had"); document.writeln("everything going for him. In addition to being the son of a highly respected"); document.writeln("man, he was tall, handsome, and had an impressive presence (1 Samuel 9:1-2)."); document.writeln("Because God chose him for leading Israel at a time when the nation was facing"); document.writeln("formidable enemies, we can assume that he was also courageous and charismatic."); document.writeln("Even the prophet Samuel spoke of him with admiration: There is none like"); document.writeln("him among all the people (1 Samuel 10:24).
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But Saul spent"); document.writeln("much of his reign disconnected from God. His errors in judgment arose, in large"); document.writeln("measure, from an inflated sense of self-reliance. A single mistake brought"); document.writeln("about a chain of sins, as we see in his desperate and zealous pursuit to kill"); document.writeln("David.
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When people"); document.writeln("value themselves more than they should (Romans 12:3), they cease to depend on"); document.writeln("divine guidance. Saul thought he knew more than God, ignored the law, and"); document.writeln("offered a sacrifice before battle rather than wait for Samuel, despite clear"); document.writeln("instructions. By refusing to obey, God gave the kingdom to someone who would"); document.writeln("obey (1 Samuel 16:13-14).
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Pride always"); document.writeln("leads us away from God\'s way, but the Lord welcomes those who stray and return."); document.writeln("Blessing and joy await those who walk with Him.
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Suggested"); document.writeln("Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, forgive me for the sin of pride in my life."); document.writeln("Forgive me for the times I have gone ahead of your will and disobeyed your"); document.writeln("instructions. Help me to always value your word and plans more than my own"); document.writeln("opinions. Thank you for your patience with me and for always welcoming me with"); document.writeln("open arms as I repent of my sins and ask for forgiveness. In the name of Jesus"); document.writeln("I pray, Amen.
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1. 1 Samuel 13:11-14 (NIV).
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The Encounter"); document.writeln("for today was written by: Rosina N.
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This and other devotionals by Richard (Dick) Innes can be read online.
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