WHEN IT IS ALL SAID AND DONE

Dear Saul had a great beginning.  God chose him as the first king. At first, he was humble, had a teachable spirit, and had ole Samuel as a mentor to guide and counsel him.  Tragically, as with most of us humans, power and influence can corrupt if our negative emotions of fear and pride take control.  Saul's sin probably began like most sin, small, but once the sin became an ingrained habit (stronghold), then the character is  greatly devolves.  The compromises which seemed innocuous, maybe in the beginning, soon became flagrant and blatant behaviors of an evil driven personality.  

Saul by now is probably in his late 60's or 70's.  An age when the goal should have been to finish well, and to know that he had reigned 40 years and his son, Jonathan, would be king at his death.  Perhaps the Philistines would have been conquered and the kingdom would be experiencing peace.  Isaiah 30:15b-16a have been rich reminders, "...In repentance and rest you shall be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength. BUT you were not willing.  And you said, "No we will flee on horses..."  Saul 's last words may have been, "I did it MY way!"  Saul, Jonathan, and two of his other sons are killed in battle with the Philistines.  They removed his head to put in the house of their idols; they put his weapons in the house of Ashtaroth (goddess) and  fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.  

Saul would have been a peer of mine and he is a definite reminder that in these later years I cannot afford to get sloppy or casual in my walk as a Christ follower.  As I have experienced in my own life, death does not claim only the elderly...Daddy was 61, Phil, first husband, was 51, and my son, David, was 48.   My desire when it is all said and done from the words of the Apostle Paul, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7 and then to crown it all, to hear from my LORD, "...Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master." Matthew 25:21  Ever learning.  In process. #IHAVETHREESONS