The Lord Rejects Saul as King

Saul learns two critical lessons about God: 1. He is the one ultimately in charge of Israel and 2. He keeps His word – even His promise to punish.  Saul’s continued lack of faith causes the kingdom to be taken from him and handed over to someone else. Even when we find God’s mercy, our sin has very real consequences for our lives. 

Study the Scripture

Read in  1 Samuel 15:16-29

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REFLECTION

Tightly Clenched Fist

 by Mary McGinnis

Today’s reading finds King Saul being confronted by the Prophet Samuel for disobeying God.  Samuel begins his confrontation by saying that Saul’s view of himself was too small.

“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 . . .”

Behind arrogance and pride is often a heart weighted down by wondering, “Am I enough?” Haunted by his need for significance, Saul attempts to artificially inflate the flattened balloon of his own ego.  He wanted the glory instead of leaning into what God had planned for him.  

In pride, he covered up, gave excuses, shifted blame, and gave halfhearted confessions to the Lord.

Does any of this sound familiar in your own life? 

When Samuel refused Saul’s attempts to justify himself, Saul desperately grasps at Samuel’s robe.  He feverishly clung to his stubborn pride, which ultimately lead to the kingdom being torn away from him, just like Samuel’s robe. 

Jesus, our Savior did the exact opposite.  Philippians 2:5-8 says:

 “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

 A few years ago, at a retreat, the Pastor lead us through this prayer by Charles M. Olsen called, “Hands.” During the prayer, he invited us to move our hands as the prayer suggests. I invite you to do the same now as we pray this prayer together:

            HANDS

I see Lord, in my tightly clenched fists, the representation of myself,

My cares, possessions, pride.

I shut you out, let you change me.

I shut other people out, let they would know me, lest they would hurt me.

In fact, I could strike out with these fists against those who would threaten me.

 

But I see in the whitened knuckles and tense forearms what this is doing to me.

I am up-tight, enslaved, imprisoned within myself.

I am tired, tense, lonely, and am only destroying myself.

 

And now, in slowly opening my hands,

I release myself to you, Lord.

Take my guilt, burdens, cares, emptiness, and loneliness.

 

My arms no longer hurt.  My knuckles are no longer white.

Thank you for release, for freedom, for peace.

 

With open hands, I can no longer shut you out;

Shut out other people, or strike out against those who would threaten me.

 

Open hands are for helping.

Fill them with your love, show them what to do.

How to witness, how to serve.

 

Suddenly, I am aware of the hurts and needs of other persons and other situations.

In my mind’s eye, I place them in these hands and lift them up to you for your sustaining grace and healing touch.

 

No longer alone, I reach out to clasp the hand of my sister and brother.

I thank you for them, I pray for them.

Shape us together into the body of Christ.  Amen (Olsen, 1969)

 

  UALC’S CAMPAIGN OF PRAYER - SATURDAY

Prayer Practice: Take time today to pray confession, laying before God the ways that you have turned from Him, and asking Him for both forgiveness and healing from the damage your sin has caused. Know that, through Jesus, none of our sin is too great to find His forgiveness and healing. Saul had the kingdom ripped away from him, but the Bible says that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is ours in Christ Jesus.