A Foolish LIfe

O. T. #662  "A Foolish Life"
December 23, 2015
1 Samuel 31-Part 2
So Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD. 1 Samuel 31:13 NLT


LET IT GLOW

Are we living as a faithful servant or a fool? Time for some reevaluating because of the death of Saul. Is my life as foolish as his? Do I want to please God or myself? Am I showing His love to others?

"I have played the fool," Saul said in 1 Samuel 26:21. God was on Saul's side for a while, but he disobeyed, gave religious excuses, convinced himself that he was doing God's will, sought an alternative in spiritism, led his nation down the wrong road, which eventually led to his suicide. He lived a foolish life and died a tragic death. The greatest tragedy of all is that's it need never have been. He chose his path of compromise and disobedience.
Disobedience dulls our senses. We are concerned with what others think instead of what God thinks and what God might say. Also, it nullifies our testimony.
Bethshan was really not that far from where Saul was inaugurated. Isn't that something? His entire forty years, for full decades as the king, and he made little headway territorially for the nation of Israel. He wound up only a few miles from where he started. His body hung only a short ride on horseback from where he was announced king of Israel.(Thoughts by Swindoll)

What will our obituary say about us? How will one wrap up our life in the eulogy? A wasted life or one faithfully served the Lord God?

LET IT GROW

In his book David, a Story of Passion and Destiny, Charles R. Swindoll gives us six analogies that the lives of Saul and Christ had in common:

1. Saul's death appeared to be the end of all national hope.
2. With Saul's death it seemed that the adversary had son the final victory.
3. Saul's death paved the way fro an entirely new plan of operation and ushered in David's kingly line, which led to the Messiah. (Christ's death led to our salvation.)
4. Saul's death opened the opportunity for another who would not otherwise have been included in God's line of blessing, namely David. (Christ's death gave opportunity to us Gentiles to experience grace.)
5. Saul's death ended an era of dissatisfaction and failure. (Christ's death ended an era of law and guilt and brought grace.)
6. Saul's death displayed the foolishness of man. (What some consider God's foolish plan became a hope for us.)

All of us will have an appointment with death which we cannot avoid or escape. Friend, are you ready? Christ was born, died on the cross, and rose from the grave so we could have eternal life in heaven with Him. Have you accepted this great gift?

LET IT GO

Live my life with purpose-serving God.

Let go of my foolish and selfish living.