Unfinished Business

By Danny Saavedra

“Then Saul prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the men of Israel are at fault, respond with Thummim.’ Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared. Saul said, ‘Cast the lot between me and Jonathan my son.’ And Jonathan was taken. Then Saul said to Jonathan, ‘Tell me what you have done.’So Jonathan told him, ‘I tasted a little honey with the end of my staff. And now I must die!’Saul said, ‘May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you do not die, Jonathan.’But the men said to Saul, ‘Should Jonathan die—he who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Never! As surely as the Lord lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today with God’s help.’ So the men rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.”—1 Samuel 14:41–45 (NIV)

Have you ever been on a mission where everything seems to be going great, but then you’re faced with a decision that requires more than just good intentions? Maybe you were halfway through a project when you realized there was a part of it you’d overlooked, or perhaps you found yourself at a crossroads that required a difficult choice. What do you do when you realize you have to go back and fix something when you’ve already invested time, effort, and energy into it? It’s in these moments, when we’re tempted to ignore the hard work required to make things right, that our character is tested.

In today’s Scripture, King Saul finds himself in one of these moments. Israel’s army has just won a great victory over the Philistines, but not without complications. In the midst of the battle, Saul makes a rash vow that no one should eat until the victory was secured. This vow, intended to motivate the troops, ends up backfiring.

By the time the battle is won, the men are exhausted and hungry, and they break the vow by eating meat with blood still in it, which was a serious violation of God’s law. Saul realizes this, and his first instinct is to seek God’s guidance, but he’s faced with a tough choice: Does he obey God’s commands, even though it will cause him to confront his own mistakes, or does he ignore the truth and keep pushing forward?

The real challenge in this passage is not the battle Saul fought against the Philistines—it’s the internal battle Saul faces with his own disobedience and the weight of his impulsive decisions. When Saul hears about the sin of eating meat with blood, he immediately seeks God’s guidance. But when he asks God what he should do next, God doesn’t answer him. This silence is a direct consequence of Saul’s earlier disobedience. Saul’s reaction is a clear indicator of how much he values his reputation and status as king. Instead of taking responsibility for his actions and admitting his mistake, he insists on moving forward with the battle and finding a quick resolution.

This is where we see the cost of unfinished business in Saul’s life. He knows he needs to deal with the sin of his men, but he’s unwilling to take the necessary steps to make things right, fearing what it might cost him in the eyes of his people. He tries to do everything quickly and superficially, even casting lots to find out who’s at fault. But when the truth is revealed, it’s clear that Saul’s disobedience has caught up with him. His son, Jonathan, who unknowingly ate the honey, is the one who gets caught in the middle of Saul’s mess.

This moment reveals a harsh truth: God doesn’t overlook our disobedience just because we’ve done great things in the past. Saul had been anointed king and had led the people to victory, but his disobedience was not excused. Saul’s refusal to take ownership of his actions not only caused division within the army but also led to an unnecessary conflict with his own son, Jonathan. God doesn’t honor shortcuts or half-hearted obedience, He values complete surrender to His will.

We can find ourselves in similar situations where we’ve made a mistake or failed to fully obey God’s commands and then must decide how to move forward. Do we face the consequences of our actions, even though it may be uncomfortable, or do we try to find a way around it? This passage teaches us that God desires our wholehearted obedience. It’s not just about the victories we win or the tasks we accomplish; it’s about how we follow God’s commands in every area of our lives, even when it’s difficult or costly.

And here’s the kicker: While Saul failed to deal with his disobedience, we have the ultimate example in Jesus. Jesus didn’t ignore the hard things. He didn’t skip over the difficult moments. In fact, He faced the greatest cost of all—His own life—so we could be forgiven. Where Saul faltered, Jesus triumphed, taking on the consequences of our disobedience and offering us grace in return. Saul’s incomplete obedience contrasts sharply with Jesus’ perfect obedience, which leads to our salvation.

The gospel reminds us that even when we fail, even when we don’t measure up, Jesus has already paid the price for our shortcomings. We don’t have to fear the silence of God when we approach Him with a humble heart, ready to repent and make things right. Jesus’ obedience on our behalf means that we can stand before God, not in our own righteousness, but in His perfect righteousness.

Pause: Is there an area of your life where you’ve been hesitant to deal with unfinished business or disobedience? Take a moment to ask God for the courage to face it and make things right.

Practice: This week, consider one area where God might be calling you to more complete obedience. How can you honor Him by taking the necessary steps, even if it’s uncomfortable?

Pray: Father, thank You for the example of Jesus’ perfect obedience. Help me to follow Your commands with a whole heart, even when it’s difficult. I confess the areas of my life where I’ve been avoiding or neglecting Your guidance, and I ask for Your forgiveness. Thank You for the grace You offer through Jesus, who paid the price for my disobedience. In Jesus’ name. Amen.