Second Guessing God

And Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” So Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. - 1 Samuel 15:20-23

I am certain that you are familiar with the events that led up to the Lord removing King Saul's anointing and passing it on to David. The verses I opened with are about the second time that Saul went his own way, convinced that he could improve on what God told him to do.  

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. - 1 Samuel 16:7

That verse is reference to the time Samuel was sent to anoint Saul's replacement and Samuel was looking for someone that resembled Saul - Taller than most men and easy on the eyes to look at.  (Hey if it worked once) But Samuel was using man's standards not God's. God looks at the heart of man.

Do you remember what Jesus said the to scribes and Pharisees?

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. - Matthew 23:27

God looks at the heart of man. And He found Saul wanting. It is like you ask someone to do something in particular and when you return they have done something else and are convinced they chose rightly. You ask "Why didn't you do what I asked you to do?" and they reply "Yes, but ....." in an attempt to justify their actions.  Sounds a little like Saul doesn't it?

Why do mere mortals try to out-think God?  Well - the short answer is, it is a matter of the heart. Do you remember the greatest commandment? 

Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment." - Matthew 22:35-38

That describes someone who is totally and primarily devoted to God. So how about you? Do you think that you know better than God? Maybe the Bible makes God's mind clear about some matter, but you think it doesn't apply to you. Or maybe you have a better idea - something God didn't think of. That is what one friend of ours would call "stinkin thinkin". It puts your feet firmly on the path to sin. In fact when you decided it in your heart - that was the point that sin happened. The act of sin is merely carrying out what has already happened in your heart.

Think about it – Pray about it - Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone