Missing the Point

Day 23

By the Rev. Dr. Beauty R. Maenzanise, dean of the theology faculty at Africa University in Zimbabwe

The word of the Lord came to Samuel: "I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me, and has not carried out my commands." Samuel was angry; and he cried out to the Lord all night. Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, and Samuel was told, "Saul went to Carmel, where he set up a monument for himself, and on returning he passed on down to Gilgal." When Samuel came to Saul, Saul said to him, "May you be blessed by the Lord; I have carried out the command of the Lord." But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing of cattle that I hear?" Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the cattle, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed." Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me last night." He replied, "Speak." Samuel said, "Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. And the Lord sent you on a mission, and said, 'Go, utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.' Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord?" Saul said to Samuel, "I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, I have gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me, I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But from the spoil the people took sheep and cattle, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilga."

—I Samuel 15:10-21

March 31, 2011

Often we rush into actions then think after we are confronted with the consequences. Saul, a God-chosen leader was dwelling in God's favor but lost touch with his purpose of mission and fell out of God's favor in the end. Knowing that he had done wrong, he had to find ways to justify his wrong deeds. In our day-to-day lives, we too find ourselves like Saul. Instead of admitting where we have gone wrong and ask for God's forgiveness, we always want to prove ourselves right. The world may not hear the sheep bleating and the cattle lowing, but God does.

Guide us Lord to the path of salvation and confess our sins wholeheartedly.

What we as Christians need to remember is what Proverbs 14:12 says, "But there is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death." We are blessed this Lenten season that we have another chance to change this route and repent of our sins. We need to name them one by one and ask for God's forgiveness wholeheartedly. We need to look directly into our dark corners and call evil as it is. When we repent, God's hands are always open to receive us through Jesus Christ Our Savior.

Prayer

Guide us Lord to the path of salvation and confess our sins wholeheartedly. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

Last Updated: 03/31/2011