PERSONAL JOURNAL:
SIN ( 1 Samuel 28:12 ): Saul used deception when speaking to this medium in order to get what he wanted from her. I have often used deception in my own life, Father, which goes completely against the way You want me to live. I am not proud of it and do not use it very often nowadays like I used to, but it is still there at times. Please forgive me of this, Father. Help me to become more like You want me to be—a man who stands firm in Your truth and Your desires for my life; a man who does not rely on deception to get his own selfish desires met.
PROMISE ( 1 Samuel 28:17 ): I love how Your promise to David keeps coming up here. Saul has not been able to accept this at all throughout his days as the king, yet he keeps getting reminded of it every step of the way. Even the spirit of Samuel reminds him of the promise You made about David becoming king over Israel to replace Saul. A powerful promise that had a lengthy and sometimes unexpected journey, but will come to fruition soon.
ATTITUDE ( 1 Samuel 28:16-18 ): I love Samuel’s response here, because he doesn’t hold back any punches. He doesn’t need to hold back at all because everything he’s saying here is 100% truth; 100% Your truth, Father! Samuel basically tells Saul that the Lord turning away from him is his own doing and that the Lord did exactly what He said He would do as a result. Saul’s days are soon to be over and it’s all his own fault.
COMMAND ( 1 Samuel 28:18 ): Although this is directed at Saul from Samuel, it’s an amazingly powerful command and reminder. He says to him, “you did not obey the Lord and did not carry out His burning anger against Amalek; therefore the Lord has done this to You today.” WOW! If I blatantly refuse and go against Your command, then there’s a possibility that You will do something against me in return. The command here is quite simply to obey. It doesn’t mean I won’t stumble. What it means is that if I know for certain that You want me to do something, I better try my best to do that something, even if I stumble doing it. Obedience to You should be my first and top priority through all things in this life.
EXAMPLE ( 1 Samuel 28:20-23 ): Saul’s story just makes me laugh a bit at times, because I see the way I’ve acted in the past and even at times in the present in his story. Here, he’s basically become extremely weak due to lack of eating, which is crazy for a king of a nation. He has everything available to him at the snap of a finger, yet he has chosen to allow his stress, anger, and resentment to prevent him from eating to preserve his own life. Yes, he is going to meet his demise soon, but it doesn’t have to be self-inflicted like he seems to be creating. He is offered food by the medium and it takes both the medium and his own men to urge him again and again before he’s willing to accept the food they’re offering him which he desperately needs right now. How often have I been offered something that I truly need in that moment, Father, yet have refused? Way too often. I have acted like a child refusing to eat their vegetables when I know my body requires the nutrition. I have rebelled against even the things You have tried to provide to me, because I thought I could do it all on my own instead. Please forgive me for this, Father. Thank You for always providing for me and pushing me, even when I am too stubborn or prideful to accept in the moment.
*DAILY NOTE: Help me to becoming a better man, Father. Not a perfect man, because only Jesus was able to attain that title and I am not God. I need to embrace the fact that my journey will not be a perfect one; there will be some obstacles in my path and some of those will be self-inflicted. Help me to always keep my compass pointing in Your direction as my True North, so that no matter where this journey of life takes me and no matter where my imperfections take me, I am always headed in Your direction, Father. Thank You for an amazing Group Coaching call with the Real Men 300 this morning and thank You for this meaningful quiet time today, Father.
EXPAND TO READ: GENERAL NOTE FOR MY QUIET TIMES
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