1 Samuel 10:9–10: “So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day. When they came there to the hill, there was a group of prophets to meet him; then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.”

May 19th, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Saul was not given to Israel because God wanted him to fail. Nor did God pick the worst possible specimen of humanity to give the nation as their king; He picked a physically superior man, whose appearance and stature seemed to perfectly suit the task he faced. Saul had all the requirements the people thought important in a king. This verse also says that God changed Saul’s heart, so obviously God wasn’t trying to sabotage the reign of this man. In fact, God prepared Saul for kingship by having the Holy Spirit come over him. Even though God knew Saul’s kingdom would fail, the failure would not be due to any lack on God’s part of giving Saul everything he needed to succeed. Here young Saul was even given the gift of prophecy as a confirmation of the Holy Spirit’s power on his life. Saul experienced a change, but then, over the next few years, he allowed human pride and sin to take over and choke out the life that God had given him.

The truth is none of us can succeed without Jesus Christ giving us a changed heart, a changed life. Here is a “recall notice” that sums up the issue well:

The Creator is recalling all units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary key component: the heart. This defect is most commonly known as sin. Symptoms reported include: loss of direction, a lack of peace and joy, increasing selfishness, fearfulness, idol worship, and rebellion. The Original Equipment Manufacturer, who is not at fault for this defect, is providing factory authorized replacement service free of charge to correct the malfunction. Jesus has already taken the entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs on Himself, so no additional fee will be required or accepted. Surrender of defective heart will activate complete replacement protocol with guaranteed results. Please surrender immediately.

“LORD, we choose to humble ourselves before You this day. Please work through us, we ask, in Jesus’ name.”