The One Who Loves Me

Jesus Christ said, “Whoever has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I too will love them and show Myself to them.” [1]

King Saul replaced the Lord’s commandment with a decision to please himself. He took the best of the spoils of war for himself! He also set up a monument to honor himself.

“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.” [2]

“Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel: ‘I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.’” [3]

To turn to the Lord is a turn outward. A turn towards love! King Saul turned from the Lord towards himself.

“Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, ‘Saul… has set up a monument in his own honor. He has gone down to Gilgal.’” [4]

When Samuel reached him, Saul said to him, “‘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? Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?’” [5]

King Saul objected, saying to Samuel, “But I did obey the Lord, I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag, their king. The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.” [6]

King Saul tried to shift the blame to his subordinates. But Samuel replied: “’Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, the has rejected you as king.’ The Lord regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.” [7]

“Heavenly Father, please forgive us for setting ourselves above You. Please change us. Please help us to submit ourselves to obeying You. You deserve to be honored above all else. I pray that You will be glorified in our lives. I pray these things in Your Name, Jesus Christ. Amen.”

[1] John 14:21
[2] 1 Samuel 15:9
[3] 1 Samuel 15:11
[4] 1 Samuel 15:12
[5] 1 Samuel 15:13-14, 19
[6] 1 Samuel 15:20-21
[7] 1 Samuel 15:22-23, 34