Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread!

The Death of Saul

1 Chr. 10:1-14
"Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD..." (13a)

Lord, give us this day our daily bread. In Jesus' name Amen.

It is quite a shocking and incredible conclusion that the Bible gives us regarding Saul' ending. Always how we finish is the more important than how we start in the life of faith. Saul had begun well with a great victory. He seemed to be humble at first. But gradually he showed signs of serious character and spiritual defects like a "lemon" car that is new but has many hidden faults that show up gradually.

The Bible says that he died because he was unfaithful to the LORD. This was his spiritual cause of death. The Bible narrative tells us that behind his tragic death lay his unfaithfulness. He had been unfaithful to God in many small and large matters. He failed many spiritual tests along the way. Here are a few that I can remember:

 First, he didn't wait for Samuel but offered the sacrifice on his own without approval. Second, he spared the best for himself and didn't kill Agag but kept him alive as a trophy of war. Third, he built a monument to himself. Fourth, in the time of desperation instead of inquiring of the LORD, he went to a witch for help. Saul flunked in the life of faith. This is a tremendously important lesson to all who are running the good race of faith. I have had many ups and downs in my life. Sometimes, I felt as if I might be like Saul with his half-obedience and compromising life. It is only by God's grace that I am alive and well today. If I had been left on my own, I surely would have flunked but God is the God of grace in my life.

In contrast to Saul, David shows us the life of victory. It is not because David was perfect. He was a sinner who committed adultery and murder once. He is also guilty of pride when he counted his men. There are probably many other sins he committed. That is not the issue in the life of faith. The point is that David is remembered as a faithful man of God.  He was a "man after God's own heart." He received God's forgiveness each time he sinned, learned the lesson and got back in the race again. We all remember the classic English film "Chariots of Fire." Eric Liddell fell once in a race but he got up again and went on to win that race. He slowly and agonizingly passed each runner one by one to finish first. He was completely out of breath but he won! The professional coach said, "It wasn't the prettiest race but it sure was the bravest."  Like him, we must get up each time we fall and keep on going by faith. This is what it means to be faithful to God.

Finally, the men of Jabesh Gilead are a noble example of faithfulness. They didn't forget King Saul  who once delivered them. They risked their lives to retrieve his body and the bodies of his sons to give them a decent burial. We must remember the grace of God and the grace of man. I can remember quite a few servants of God who helped me on my journey. I thank God for each of them.

Lord, help me to be a faithful man of God. Help me to finish well the race of faith. In Jesus' name Amen.

One Word: BE FAITHFUL TO GOD TO THE END!