Day 37: 1 Samuel 28:8–19

Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes and set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, “Consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the one I tell you” (v. 8).

When God refused to answer Saul, he asked where to find a spiritist. Isn’t it interesting that Saul set out on a journey to seek that which he himself had expelled from Israel? Deuteronomy 18:10–12 specifically forbids spiritists and mediums. Saul knew God’s Word. Early in his reign as king he did what God’s Word commanded. But after his regard for God shrank and his flesh abounded, he sought the very thing he once had considered wrong.

We’ve done the same from time to time. We’ve felt convicted to get rid of something or to cease a certain practice; then, when our regard for God began to shrink and our regard for our own flesh began to grow, we were out the door hunting it down. Taking a few steps backward in our Christian walk is not very difficult. We used to call it “backsliding.” I wish the only direction for a Christian was onward to maturity, but unfortunately some of our footprints in the sand look a lot like figure eights!

Can you think of any personal examples?

Have you ever given up R-rated movies yet found yourself at a later date with a ticket and popcorn in your hand, heading into a movie you formerly wouldn’t have watched? Have you ever given up gossip magazines because God convicted you toward purity of mind, but you found yourself throwing one into your grocery basket again? At one time were you very sensitive about saying hurtful things to or about others, but now it doesn’t bother you much anymore?

I find myself hoping even Saul’s life had an ultimately happy ending. When Samuel said, “Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me” (v. 19), we don’t know what he meant. He may simply have meant, “You are about to die.” Or he may have meant Saul and his sons would join Samuel among the redeemed. I’d like to think that Saul and his sons took the opportunity to settle business with God, knowing of their imminent demise. Sometimes the most merciful thing God can do in a rebellious person’s life is let him know he is going to die so he can beg for mercy.