1 Samuel 15:10-14
10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel: 11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” Samuel was angry, and he cried out to the Lord all that night.
12 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 honour and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal.”
13 When Samuel reached him, Saul said, “The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.”
14 But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?”
It’s astonishing how Saul could claim to have obeyed God when not only had he not fully followed his instructions, but had also erected a statue of himself, an act of pride and seeking adulation, and then blatantly lied about his misdemeanours. Was this an attempt to deceive Samuel or God, or was he really blind to his own sinfulness. Neither option is a good one! But before we get carried away pointing this finger, perhaps we should stop and think about our own actions. Do we hide our failings? Do we ever seek to promote ourselves and not God?
Forgive us loving Father for our self-centredness. Help us to see ourselves clearly and humbly.
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