There's Hope For Todayનમૂનો

I am fascinated by people who choose to live in the shadow of a volcano; build on barrier islands; rebuild in a flood plain; marry thrice-divorced playboys, or smoke after lung surgery. They are gamblers at heart, or unaware of the odds. Sooner or later, volcanoes blow, hurricanes reshape the beach, rivers flood, character is unmasked, and cigarettes kill. When wisdom takes a backseat to desire; when emotional attachments bind us to bad ground; when the thrill of a chase exceeds the capture, we are destined for disappointment and disaster.

King Saul chose to build on a fault line. He ignored God’s specific instruction and rewrote God’s plan after his own desire. This was no small slip; no minor oversight. Saul showed contempt for God’s will and his life began to sink down in the quicksand of rebellion. Obedience is always a simple thing. Cover-up and deceit become increasingly complex. God’s judgment on Saul was concise and terrible: rejected ... rejected by God!

We make a grave error when we picture God as an over-indulgent parent. We’re only fooling ourselves when we think our indiscretions carry no consequence. Impulse closes our prison door, and rebellion turns the key.