When you simply don’t follow instructions

nothing good usually comes from it…

2 This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. 3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”

7 Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt. 8 He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. 9 But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed. 10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel: 11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” Samuel was angry, and he cried out to the Lord all that night.

16 “Enough!” Samuel said to Saul. “Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” “Tell me,” Saul replied. 17 Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. 18 And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; wage war against them until you have wiped them out.’ 19 Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?”

22 But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.” ~1 samuel 15:2-3, 7-11, 16-19, 22-23~

what’s really sad about this life story is that saul lost it all because he just wouldn’t listen and do what he was told. the instructions from samuel was given from The Lord. apparently knowing a promise - being king of israel - would follow wasn’t good enough. it was his future and he screwed it all up by not completing the task at hand.

saul then tried to make an excuse or reason why he did what he did - that the best of what they found was to be used as a sacrifice to God; then that he was afraid of his men to do anything about it (verses 21 & 24) - i say this is bs because he was the ruler of his people and who dare to oppose him. while he did mess up royally, in the end he did worship God.

i have failed, miserably at times, to start and finish tasks that God was calling me, or at least that i felt He was, in the past and i hated not doing so. that is why i had felt like such a failure in life - either not doing what i should have, or i started and didn’t complete what i needed to. the consequences for my inaction was: loss of peace (anxiety), financial strains (losing a house), no joy (sadness), mental breakdown (depression), control issues (anger), relationship woes (failure as a son, brother, husband and father - probably throw in friend and employee too).

it’s pretty clear in these verses how important it is to follow exactly what The Lord, The Word of God is asking, telling, commanding us to do. instead of letting the devil get in my head that i could do it this way rather than that, was that really what i was told, or i probably could keep some and it wouldn’t hurt anyone, i just need to pay attention, listen, and execute as told. like a coach who calls a play, unless you are tom brady, michael jordan, or the g.o.a.t. in your respective sport, it’s best to just run the play as it was called out and intended in order to succeed.

Father God, thank you for letting me experience the fall of warren, where all that was materially important to me was taken away, the rejection of a lifestyle that i held so dearly because it was not what you had in store for me. i am sorry for not listening like saul had and went on to do my own thing without you. as pat shared on sunday, i don’t want to go to a place where you are not there my Lord, my God. help me to follow wholeheartedly all that you are asking of and from me. to you, Heavenly Father, goes all the glory, honor, and praise. in Jesus’ name i pray, amen!