A tragic end

Then Saul said to his armour-bearer , “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and thrust me through and abuse me.” But his armour-bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword and fell on it. And when his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword, and died with him. So Saul, his three sons, his armour-bearer, and all his men died together that same day. - 1 Samuel 31.4-6

Saul started out so well. He became king to the adulation and adoration of the people. He seemed dedicated and ready for the task. What could go wrong?

It didn’t take long for Saul to begin his downward slide. He was impatient. He figured it didn’t matter if he did things God’s way as long as they got done. He was impatient and could not wait on God. He was jealous. He was angry. He attempted murder. He was obsessed with revenge. He even got involved in witchcraft.

And finally this tragic end. After losing a battle he asked his armour-bearer to draw his sword and kill him to put him out of his misery. When that didn’t work he committed suicide.

There could not be a sadder ending.

What happened?

The problem is that Saul early on got his eyes off the Lord and his own way. He never had the faith to trust that God’s way was best. What appeared to be humility when he was chosen was quickly swallowed up in pride. God just couldn’t do it right in Saul’s mind so, as the years went on, things just got worse.

The tragedy is that when the people of God turn from God’s way to our own we always mess things up. God’s way is best because He is God and he loves and cares for us.

May I have the strength and the faith to trust that His was is best and stop trying t sort things out my way.