Opposing Voices

How do we know if we are truly following Gods will?

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 Gilgal." And Samuel said, "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Surely, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is no less a sin than divination, and stubbornness is like iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected , he has also rejected you from being king." - 1 Samuel 15:20-23

In today's reading, we have Saul, king of Israel, appointed by God, and Samuel, the prophet who speaks the words of God.

The two see the same situation differently.

While Samuel sees that Saul disobeyed God for his own gain, Saul has rationalized his actions as justified by saying the spoils of the battle are to be sacrificed to God.

Someone is missing the point here.  We know it must be Saul, but we may not see that what he did was so wrong.  

The entire situation makes God out to be a murderer, which is not a good place to start.  We don't like to see God that way, so we are inclined to read this story as a lesson or metaphor rather than as historical fact.  And that leads us to reduce the whole scenario to one of obedience.

We can deal with that.  We can say that Saul is wrong for not obeying God, just as Samuel says.

But it leaves us wondering if obedience is all this is about.  Should we blindly obey or should we challenge what we believe God wants us to do?

We have to make up our own minds and live with our choices.  That is the blessing and the curse of a free will, and if we read anything into this story, we see that God will hold us accountable for the choices we make.

That's the tough lesson Saul is learning here.  It is a tough lesson for us all.  

Even if we find a way to rationalize our actions as true and just, if they fail to match up with God's laws, we fail.

Now there is a way out of this uncertainty, and that is the gift of grace God offers to all who repent and return, which is what Jesus offers for us.  So, we can make our choices, and if we believe we are doing the right thing, but we fall short, we can still see the error in our ways and return.

That's something Saul refused to do.  When Samuel explained what he had done wrong, Saul pushed him away.

So, maybe we should listen to those who say they think we are wrong.  Who knows if God sent them or not.

More to come...