8 He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering.10 As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came.
I can totally understand Saul's impatience. I am not the world's most patient person and I get that if Samuel said he would come in 7 days, I would get impatient too. How often do we too, take God's timing into our own hands instead of being patient and waiting on God's timing. Saul choosing to sacrifice ahead of God's plan had consequences as likewise, we also face consequences when we deviate from God's plan.
Saul doesn't learn:
3 Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction[q] all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”
....
9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves[r] and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.
and so we also face the consequences that come from disobedience.
There is a chance for repentance and forgiveness
24 Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may bow before the Lord.”
However, the consequences still remain even after repentance.
The new testament reminds us that after repentance comes forgiveness.
4 and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
Finally, the readings close today with the reminder that we don't know when the kingdom of God will come but we are told:
3 Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.
When we put God first, obey his Commands, wait on His timing, forgive others even when they don't deserve it, then we will lose our lives according to society and yet gain the live God wants for us.
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: 1 Samuel 16-18, Luke 18
1 comment:
So true that forgiveness does not erase consequences for sin. An important reminder when we are tempted to sin and justify it, thinking that we'll just ask forgiveness later. It's not that simple. There are always repercussions to sin - and it's often not just us that suffer the consequences.
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