Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep,
oxen, fatlings, lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy
them. (I Samuel 15:9)
Prior to going to
battle with the Amalekites, God gave Saul clear direction not to spare
anything, but after a decisive victory, Saul brought the spoils home.
What’s wrong with
that you might ask? Could taking the
spoils really be a bad thing? After all,
they represented what was sure to be significant wealth for the country, not to
mention warm clothing and plenty of food for the people. I’m sure the people of
Israel had a lot of needs. Couldn’t
those spoils be God’s provision for His people?
Even scripture referred to the spoils as “all that was good.”
But instead, God
severely chastised Saul for his decision, eventually costing him his position
as king.
Why? Because Saul chose to sacrifice the best
(God’s direction and plan) for what appeared to be good. Saul was lulled into choosing what looked
good on the outside and popular to the people.
Be wary of the good things
in your life if they keep you from God’s best.
Good things can come in neat little packages. They might even appear to fill an existing
need in your life at that moment. How
could that be a bad thing you ask? After
all, doesn’t God want to prosper us, both spiritually and physically? He
does! The bible declares that.
However, there are
times where what appears to be good may not be God’s best. God specifically told Saul not to keep the
spoils, because it wasn’t God best for Israel at that time.
Is God calling you to
give up some things in your life, even “good” things, so that He can pour out
His best upon you? Even some things that
were blessing in the old season can become a hindrance if they are brought into
the new season.
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