Finish: Imitating An Imperfect KingSample

God rejected King Saul. See, Saul thought as long as he aimed for general obedience to God and made a big show of worshipping Him, he could keep doing things his way. Wrong. 

Partial obedience is disobedience. Infinitely wise, God knows the best way to bring deserved glory, or recognition, to Himself. To disobey Him in any detail is to interfere with His plan and potentially lessen the praise and recognition He could receive. Saul failed to submit to God, so he was rejected. 

By the world’s standards, David was a mixed bag. Good looking, rugged, and strong, he was also the least son in the least tribe of Israel. When Samuel anointed him king, David probably had mixed feelings. Even as he rejoiced over being chosen, he probably wondered why, especially when he had to go back to tending sheep. 

But God knew David’s heart. God wasn’t surprised by David’s mistakes when they happened, but He also wasn’t surprised by David’s repentance. He knew David love Him and would always return to Him, unlike Saul, who professed devotion to God, but ran ahead or away from Him to serve his own purposes. 

Here’s the truth: God sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for your sin so you could be forgiven and become a permanently adopted child of God, not because you are awesome, but because He is (John 3:16). 

It doesn’t matter what people think of you, what you’ve done in the past, or whether or not you feel worthy of His love or qualified to serve Him. All that matters is whether or not you respond appropriately to his offer of salvation from the consequences of your sin by accepting His forgiveness and making Jesus your boss forever. 

If/when you do, like David, you’ll become so much more than you were before. Brand new, you’ll have infinite potential by the power of the Holy Spirit inside you to impact the world for God’s Kingdom and bring Him the glory, or recognition, He deserves (2 Corinthians 5:17). 

If you don’t, like Saul, you’ll face rejection. Stuck in your sin, you’ll remain separated from God forever, not because He doesn’t love you—He does and proved it by sending Jesus—but because you chose not to submit. 

Thank God for loving you and choosing you to love and serve Him.