Gospel Reflections #911: Choosing to go back to God

1 Samuel 13:14 "But now your kingdom will not endure. The Lord will seek out a man after his own heart and appoint him as leader over his people, because you have not kept the Lord's command."

This is the scene where Saul, Israel's first king, is told his reign will not endure because he disobeyed God's command.

Facing battle against the Philistines, Saul grew impatient waiting for the prophet Samuel and performed the sacrificial rite himself—a duty reserved only for priests.

This resulted from prioritizing his own haste and human opinion over trust in God.

The person foretold here is the future King David.

David was not a perfect man, but when he sinned, he did not justify himself. 

He repented sincerely and sought to follow God's guidance, which is why he was called "a man after God's own heart."

God did not abandon Saul personally, but He ended the continuation of Saul's "royal house" as rulers.

This demonstrates that above all else, obedience to God is required of leaders governing God's people.

When we face difficulties or crises, we too are confronted with the question: "Will we rush to resolve it our own way, or wait for God's timing?"

Even if a method seems justifiable to our eyes, God observes whether we are looking at what is before us or looking to Him. 

God sees not merely the impressive deeds visible to human eyes, but the direction in which those deeds are oriented.

We too have many failures like Saul's, but we desire to confess before God as David did, seeking His forgiveness and guidance, clinging to Him.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.