God’s Word for Today: February 27

1 Samuel 13:1 to 1 Samuel 15:35

King Saul felt that he did not need to obey God. He thought he could rely on his own abilities and religious practices to help him through the challenges of ruling the nation. As a result, God took his blessing away from Saul.

What led to King Saul’s rejection? In 1 Samuel 15:3, Saul is told to attack Amalek and claim everything they have for God—by destroying it. Saul and his army kill the worthless and weak but spare King Agag and keep the best livestock and property.

Saul tells Samuel that he carried out the LORD’s instructions, to which Samuel asks a memorable question, in 1 Samuel 15:14:

“But what is this sound of sheep in my ears
and this sound of cows that I hear?”

When given the opportunity to own up to his mistake, Saul blames his own army. Because of his poor leadership, Saul is rejected as king by the LORD.

Today, ask God for strength to stick to your convictions when you are pressured to please others.

Read today’s passage online at Bible Gateway.

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To enhance your reading and understanding, watch this excellent video from the Bible Project—where visual storytelling meets the Bible: