Quick Note – 1 Chronicles 10:13-14 – Looking for Guidance

1 Chronicles 10:13-14 – 13 So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance. 14 He did not seek guidance from the Lord. Therefore the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.

In our day and age, information is literally at our fingertips.  We no longer need to go to the library, check out a book, and spend a few days researching to get an answer to our question.  We no longer even need to log into a personal computer, boot up a modem, and google an answer.  Nope!  Nowadays, if we want an answer to our question, we just pull out our smart phones and say, “Hey Siri!”  Then we can get an answer as to how something can or should be done.  And if Siri can’t help, one of our phone apps usually can. 

If we want directions to a location, we use Google maps.  If we are looking for a place to eat and want to get a few reviews, we open up Yelp.  If we want to learn a language, we turn on Rosetta Stone or Duolingo.  And if we want to translate something, we take a picture with Google translate.  Guidance as to how many different things should be done is right in the palm of our hands.  However, one thing that our phones still cannot do is guide our lives in the way they should go.  It can give us suggestions based on our likes and dislikes; it can predict how much we might enjoy something; but it can never provide true guidance as to what is the best way to live our lives.  That guidance can only come from God. 

Our passage today summarizes what happened to King Saul, the first king of Israel, during his reign.  God chose him to be king, and even though he wasn’t sure of himself at first, he did a pretty decent job when he was first started.  However, rather than keeping God’s commandments always, rather than seeking God for guidance, Saul’s pride would cause him to follow the ways of the world instead of the ways of God.  Rather than seek God for guidance, he would listen to the advice of his worldly advisors, he would do what seemed practical, and when nearing his death, he even sought out a medium.  None of these things or people would point him in the right direction.  What he really needed to do was to seek God and pray for guidance.  The unfortunate thing was he did not, and eventually when he needed God and tried to seek Him for help, God forsook him.  He eventually died in the hands of enemies.  This was God’s punishment for Saul’s disobedience.

We as Christians should look to God to guide and direct our lives.  When we are at impasse, unsure of how to proceed, rather than looking to the world for answers, we should be on our knees praying to God.  He will listen; He will guide; He will lead, as long as, we humbly come before Him with a heart ready and willing to obey.  When we are confused about our lives, when we feel lost without direction, let us not seek guidance from the world, but let us look to Christ.  Let us spend time reading His Word and reflecting on it.  The Bible is where God provides direction for every Christian.  Our Good Shepherd will lead us to where we need to go.  We need only trust Him.