Day3
Week22
1Samuel 14
“Then they reported to Saul, saying, “Look, the people are sinning against the Lord by eating the blood.” And he said, “You have dealt faithlessly. Roll a great stone to me this day.” Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, ‘Bring to me here every man his ox or sheep. And slaughter them here, and eat. But you shall not sin against the Lord by eating with the blood.’ ” And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there. And Saul built an altar to the Lord. It was the first altar that he built to the Lord.”
1 Samuel 14:33-35 MEV
Cross references
1 Samuel 7:17
Who’s Fooling Who?
Isn’t it so easy to recognize other’s shortcomings?
Saul easily expressed judgment against the soldiers for disobeying God’s laws, but he couldn’t see the humongous beam in his own eye.
He arrogantly put a heavy burden on them in a time that should have been celebrated. God had given them victory in the first battle.
Saul was putting all attention on himself.
Okay, so why is Saul now building an altar?
Why not build it after the amazing victory that God had brought through Jonathan?
Well, then God and Jonathan would be celebrated. Not Saul.
One minute, Saul is impatient too busy to finish praying, and the next minute he’s pointing out everyone else’s mistakes and making an altar supposedly to God.
Who’s fooling who?
What about you?
Are you caught up in following the legalistic rules, but forgetting to call on the one who Created them?
We need to make allowances for one another’s faults and also remember to examine ourselves.
Pride is the root of hypocrisy. Be very careful to get rid of it quickly.
Action Step
Are you fooling yourself?
Ask Holy Spirit to show you any areas where you are judging others and also where you are blind to your own shortcomings.
Extend grace to someone today who you don’t think deserves it.
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