What did you think about today’s reading?  There was so much in this section.  Here are some of the highlights:

• David is anointed by Samuel to be the King who will replace Saul
• David goes to serve as Saul’s musician (because Saul needs music to help soothe his crazy nerves.)
• David kills Goliath with a sling and a stone
• David grows in power & popularity
• Saul grows jealous that God is with David and not him
• Saul tries to kill David
• David becomes friends with Jonathan (Saul’s son)
• David runs away from Saul
• Saul pursues David
• David refuses (twice) the chance to kill Saul because he respects the fact that Saul is still the Lord’s anointed king.
• David has three wives during this time
• Saul has the gall to have 85 of the Lord’s priests killed because they helped protect David

The story that beats them all is when Saul is so desperate to find out where David is and have him killed that he goes to a witch for help.  In chapter 28 he approaches the “Witch of Endor.”  I know, this sounds like something out of an episode of Star Wars.  It’s like Darth Vader going after Luke Skywalker…I was just waiting to read about the Ewoks.  Saul sinks so low that he asks this witch conjure up the spirit of Samuel (who had died by this point) to try to win the day against David.  Saul began so well back in chapter 9 when he was young and humble.  But so much has happened.  Time has passed, he has grown proud and the power has literally gone to his head.  His story may be unique in some respects, but reminiscent of so many other leaders that this world has seen.  May we be leaders that put the Lord first.

In these passages of scripture Samuel has been serving as priest over the people and the Lord asks him to anoint Saul as King.  The thing that I find most interesting in this section is watching Saul’s heart.  By the end of this section of scripture he says with his mouth that it’s all for God’s glory, but then ends up erecting a monument in his (Saul’s) honor.  The passages that jumps out at me is a very familiar passage where Samuel goes and rebukes Saul by saying,

Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord?  To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better that the fat of rams.

I pray that would never be said of me.  I hope that in everything that I do that it would be about the Lord and not me.  I must admit that I have found myself in Saul’s shoes at times.  I have tried to take glory for things from time to time.  But in the end I have learned time and time again that it’s not about me…it’s all about the Lord.

Today’s readings covered a lot of ground.  It spans from the story of Samson to the story of the birth of Samuel.  Stuck in the middle of these two stories is the book of Ruth.

Ruth is an amazing story of grace and redemption.  It’s the story of how Boaz became the “kinsman-redeemer” to Ruth & Naomi.  In this story we see a connection to the New Testament because Jesus is our “kinsman-redeemer.”  Like Boaz, Jesus took us in when we were without hope and offered grace and new life in His family.