A Disconnected Spiritual Life
Verses: 1 Samuel 14:34, 35 "Then Saul said, 'Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the morning light; let us not leave a man of them.' And they said, 'Do whatever seems good to you.' But the priest said, 'Let us draw near to God here.' And Saul inquired of God, 'Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?' But he did not answer him that day. And Saul said, 'Come here, all you leaders of the people, and know and see how this sin has arisen today. For as the Lord lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.' But there was not a man among all the people who answered him."
In this passage, we see Saul, the king of Israel, continuing to act in ways that seem spiritual and pleasing to God, but without a genuine connection with Him. Despite his initial amazement and gratitude at being made king, Saul's relationship with God had become superficial and transactional. He went through the motions of spiritual rituals, but his heart was not genuinely seeking God. This was evident in his lack of trust in God's guidance, which led him to take matters into his own hands.
Saul's spiritual life had become disconnected from God, and he was simply going through the motions. He didn't feel disconnected because he was still actively doing things that seemed spiritual, but in reality, his actions were leading to destruction. This is a warning to us that we can keep on doing spiritual things without actually being connected to God. We can attend church, read our Bibles, and participate in small groups, but if our hearts are not genuinely seeking God, we are just going through the motions.
The problem was that Saul lacked trust in God, which led him to take matters into his own hands. He didn't realize that his connection with God was broken until it was too late. This is a common pattern in our lives as well. We can get busy with spiritual activities and forget to cultivate a deep and meaningful connection with God. We can become so focused on doing things for God that we forget to seek Him Himself. It's only when we fall completely that we realize our disconnection from God.
But it doesn't have to be that way. We can take steps to cultivate a genuine connection with God, one that is based on trust, obedience, and a deep understanding of His character. We can seek to know God intimately, to hear His voice, and to follow His leading. As we reflect on Saul's story, let us examine our own spiritual lives. Are we simply going through the motions, or do we have a genuine connection with God? Are we trusting in Him, or are we taking matters into our own hands? Let us seek to cultivate a deep and meaningful connection with God, one that will sustain us through the ups and downs of life.
Prayer:
Dear God, help us to cultivate a genuine connection with You. Help us to trust in You and obey Your commands. Help us to examine our spiritual lives and identify areas where we may be disconnected from You. Give us the wisdom and discernment to seek a deeper relationship with You. Help us to seek You first, above all else, and to follow Your leading in our lives. Amen.