The word of the LORD came to Samuel: “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.” And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the LORD all night. And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal.” And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the LORD. I have performed the commandment of the LORD.” And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?” Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the LORD your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction.” Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the LORD said to me this night.” And he said to him, “Speak.”
(1 Samuel 15:10-16 ESV)
Saul had done something we should all beware of: coming to think that he was always right, above rebuke, and actually doing evil when he thought he was doing good. He had seared his conscience by lying to himself over and over again. Samuel couldn't take it anymore. After spending the whole night grieving with God over what Saul had done, he tracked him down to confront him, hearing a whole set of lies and excuses. Speaking for God, he said: "STOP! Enough!" It was time for Saul to shut up and listen to the truth. Would he be ready to receive it? Would I? Would you? Have we allowed ourselves to come to think of our self-driven lives as true, and right and good?
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