Daily Devotional - Tuesday 24th October
Enquire of the Lord
Today’s passage continues the story of Jonathan eating the honey, and breaking the oath that Saul had made that no one was to eat any food before Saul saw the victory over the Philistines.
Our passage today begins with Saul wanting to go out against the Philistines again, this time taking them by surprise at night. Saul is obsessed with defeating the Philistines, and it’s clouding his judgement. The men were exhausted (v.31), which is no wonder because of the oath of no food along with the constant battles. The people are too exhausted, or perhaps afraid, to go against Saul, simply saying ‘Do whatever seems best to you’. So, it’s up to the Priest to remind Saul to seek the Lord’s guidance. This is so opposite to how David was later on in the book of 1 Samuel, always enquiring of the Lord - seeking wisdom, guidance and direction.
Saul seeks the Lord, but receives no answer, forcing him to try and find out what was going on. He believed God was displeased over a sin committed and vows to discover who it was, and put them to death. Perhaps if he had known that the culprit (albeit without intent) was his son Jonathan, he would have backed down. The people may not have opposed Saul over going into battle again, but they certainly opposed him over Jonathan. They believed God was with Jonathan, and he was rescued.
What can we take from this passage for our own lives? Firstly, it’s not a good idea to make rash decisions or foolish oaths, especially if we’re in positions of leadership. We need to consider others, and not let our goals become our priority. As Christians, we’re called to love others and love God above all else. Secondly, it’s a reminder to always ‘enquire of the Lord’ when we’re making decisions and plans. Let’s seek to do God’s will, to become more like Christ, and to consider those around us.
Time to reflect…
• What makes a good leader, and why was Saul not measuring up?
• Have you ever tried to plan things, and make decisions, on your own, rather than seeking God’s guidance? Is there anything you need to seek God’s guidance on today?
Pause to pray…
Let’s use the words of Proverbs 3:5-6 (the verses which formed our vision prayer for 2023) as we pray today:
Lord, help me to trust in You with all my heart and avoid leaning on my own understanding. Help me to submit to You, to seek You and Your wisdom as I make plans and decisions. Help me to consider the needs of others, and act from a place of love and compassion. Amen.
