SCRIPTURE: 1 Samuel 10
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day. [1 Samuel 10:9] Yesterday I said God doesn’t change peoples’ character, or force them to act contrary to their desire. What about this verse, where God changes Saul’s heart? Not sure that I can explain this, but here is a guess: when Samuel anoints Saul [1 Samuel 10:1], the Spirit of God comes on him and his heart is changed [1 Samuel 10:6].
Imagine the human heart as a cistern filled with polluted water; now imagine an inserted hose pumping in clean water. As a result, the water is changed – its still not pure but neither is it 100% polluted. By adding His Spirit to Saul’s heart, a new reality emerges; Saul is now enabled to do more than his polluted heart could do itself. He is changed; not perfect, but a new creature. This is what happens to all of us, when we surrender to the Lord and He gives us His Spirit. We become a new creation [2 Corinthians 5:17], the residence of God by His Spirit [1 Corinthians 3:16]. With His help, we are now enabled to produce the fruit and the gifts of the Spirit – beyond our own ability. ‘Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. [John 7:38-39]
But even though our hearts are changed, we still have a choice, whether to surrender to the flow of that living water, or to quench its flow, to not allow ourselves to be filled with that Spirit. If we do not give ourselves over to the Spirit, if we do not seek His fullness and life and love to fill us, we will become stagnant, lifeless waters. If we block the flow of the hose, the cistern of our hearts will remain polluted!
Saul is no different from us. He has good character qualities, and sinful human nature. He has the Spirit of God, but also a sinful spirit. God gives Him everything he needs to succeed, but does not make him a puppet. We are in the same place as Saul: we have the Spirit of God changing our hearts, pumping in the life and love of God, overflowing through us in a variety of ways (prophecy is but one of many Spirit manifestations). In this chapter, at this moment, Saul is a lot like Jesus [1 Samuel 10:26-27]: anointed, appointed, silent before his accusers, accompanied by the valiant men whose hearts God had touched. But in time, we see him turn away from the fountain of life, and become a stinking cistern again. God changed him enough to become His servant, but not enough to give him no choice.
PRAYER:
Lord, I am Your anointed servant. I want to be filled with Your Spirit. Help me not to quench Your power in me by giving myself to polluted waters.
Called to serve. Annointed to serve. And then receiving all the signs of happenings that come to pass as the prophet told him. And yet he did not tell his uncle. And when he was to be announced to the people he hid among the luggage.
All too often those called to serve feel unworthy, ill prepared or ill equipped for their task. The Spirit of the Lord was upon Saul and yet he kept silent. He returned to his home with men whose hearts were also touched and they served him. They were ready to serve their king. However there were others who were not touched by God’s word and despised him.
Open my eyes Lord that I may see You and how You have prepared the way for me to travel. Thank You for the encouragement along the journey and may I always be ready to give an answer for my faith in You.
How shall the young direct their way?
What light shall be their perfect guide?
Thy Word, O Lord, will safely lead,
If in its wisdom they confide.
Sincerely I have sought Thee, Lord,
O let me not from Thee depart;
To know Thy will and keep from sin
Thy Word I cherish in my heart.
O blessèd Lord, teach me Thy law,
Thy righteous judgments I declare;
Thy testimonies make me glad,
For they are wealth beyond compare.
Upon Thy precepts and Thy ways
My heart will meditate with awe;
Thy Word shall be my chief delight,
And I will not forget Thy law.