Never again!

1 Samuel 15:11 - I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command. Samuel was so deeply moved when he heard this that he cried out to the LORD all night.

Words the Lord spoke, written in His Holy Word about Saul. He went from being humble to all about me in a very short period of time. Samuel was broken hearted because he was the priest of the people and it broke his heart at the things so not of God!

Samuel told Saul, but he interpreted things and reworked things to fit his own needs. But I did I built a monument to worship God...NOT...he built it to himself and then even tried to point the finger at others...

Truly I have felt heart ache the last two days of reading about Saul. He is so human. He is so like us...We think we are really something and that we have done well and truly we haven't done a thing! Or maybe I should just say I..., but I think our American culture is so in all of us that I speak collectively. We all think about ourselves first and then others, it's a me world! Look where it got Saul...we are starting to see the beginning of Saul's fall due to his own choices! Choices! Choices get all of us at one point or another!

Samuel never went to meet with Saul again we learn in verse 35 of chapter 15..Do you think Saul noticed? Do you think he felt relief because Samuel reminded him of his disobedience? One wonders does Saul have any regret about his choice of allowing his pride to get out of hand? Did he ever realize this is when everything started falling apart? Do we?

In the next section from Chapter 16, we all learn an important truth - People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart! Oh if only we would all not go by appearances. If only, we looked deeper into the eyes. I read a quote the other day about passion and really looking into someone's eyes and you see the passion. You feel the passion! The LORD knows the passion! The LORD knows when we are humble and real or when we are full of ourselves rather than HIM!

The chapter went on to tell us that Saul lost the Spirit of the LORD the day that David was chosen and that the LORD sent a tormenting spirit to fill him with fear and depression. Imagine, disappointing the LORD so much that He sent a tormenting spirit to fill us...Saul from a handsome, humble man to a tormented lost man alone with fear!

Lord feel us with your passion and Your Spirit so that other's see only You in us. Let us keep our eyes clearly focused on you, so that truly you are what others see! Amen

Sweet blessings,
Debbie

Stop!

3 chapters before power and pride took Saul over! Not even one day in between reading...So fast, he changed!

What truly caught my attention was in 1 Samuel 14:19, when it stated: Never mind;let's get going. Words Saul spoke to the priest when he was asking the Will of God. Imagine it! Saul is heading into battle, but he is so full of himself that he thinks he doesn't need God's thoughts involved. One Bible stated it that Saul told him to withdraw his hand. Saul was in such a hurry that he didn't wait for God's timing!

So, Saul was not being obedient! God won the battle in spite of Saul! In spite of...

I was so excited yesterday with the words used to describe Saul and wondered how long they lasted - not long! Not even two days of reading before Saul's power went to his head and he thought it was all about him. No wonder he continues to self-destruct!

Sweet blessings,
Debbie

I can see clearly now

Can you see clearly now?

Do you remember that old song? It hit me reading this morning when my brain got to thinking about focus and the words that Samuel spoke to Saul.

Knowing Saul's whole story and being at the beginning of it this morning it hit me that here is this man that stands head and shoulders above anyone else in the land and the most handsome man in Israel who is the focus of all Israel's hope! A man that went on to share in the most humble manner but I'm from the smallest tribe and my family is the least important of those...a humble man!

The Hebrew word for focus used here meant inner man, understanding, will, heart and we all know that Saul loses his focus in his lifetime sadly. He loses the humble spirit and it becomes about Saul, but what a beautiful beginning. A man that went on his father's instructions to look for the lost donkeys and returned the future king of Israel. The man that hid among the baggage was proclaimed king! Some trusted him others were scorning him (sound familiar) and in a month he lead them to victory over the Ammonites!

Saul the king and let's remember the next few days reading how Saul began this journey being the focus because he was humble and willing. Let's learn from Saul about when we lose our focus what else we lose in the process. Saul was a great man who we will see that when he took his eyes off God he lost everything!

Sweet blessings,
Debbie

Under whose Wings?

I picked up God's Word knowing that I would receive a special message today! I did! The story of Ruth with all of it's wisdom from a young girl that left all she knew to travel to a land that was so foreign to her, but she had hope!

I want you to think this morning about answering your phone and the most terrible news is on the other end. You have lost all your family and all that is left is your mother-in-law and sister-in-law no blood relatives, nothing familiar only your in-laws. You ponder awhile and decide that you are going with them to a foreign land that you know nothing about only what they have shared from stories. It would be like your packing up and moving to Russia or Africa. Very different language, food, people, and religion. You don't understand any of it.

In your heart you know that you want to be with your mother-in-law even though she tries to tell you stay. I loved Ruth's reply to her Naomi, "your people will be my people and your God will be my God." Wow, a God she had only heard about she was going to accept and claim. She knew Naomi's God was a real God, not some idol on a shelf, but real! ONLY from stories, she felt it in her heart...

A relative of Naomi's husband had a field of grain and Ruth decided to work behind the harvesters and gather what she could for them. One day Boaz greeter the workers and he was so friendly to his workers. He cared about them. He noticed them. He noticed Ruth. He went to her and gave her instructions about staying in his field and he warned the people to stay away from her.

Ruth didn't understand how she was deserving of such kindness, but she was thankful. He replied that he had heard about her leaving all that she knew to live among complete strangers and gave her the most beautiful blessing at this point...Ruth 2:12
May the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done."style="font-style:italic;">

Imagine, this young foreign girl trusting so very much in the God of Israel! She had flown into this foreign land for protection, hope, and chacah (original word in Hebrew for refuge,safety). It was the image of birds realizing that a bird of prey was after them and they would fly to their mothers and find safety under her wings. Ruth flew to be under the Wings of Our Savior!

Are we telling God's stories about His amazing grace and power, so that others will run to His Wings? Share His stories today and be reminded that indeed He is Our Refuge!

Sweet blessings,
Debbie