God knows our true motives. (1 Samuel 13:12-14)

1 Samuel 13:12-14

New Living Translation (NLT)

¹² So I said, ‘The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the Lord’s help!’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.”

¹³ “How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. ¹⁴ But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

Saul had plenty of excuses for his disobedience. But Samuel zeroed in on the real issue: “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you." Like Saul, we often gloss over our mistakes and sins, trying to justify and "spiritualize" our actions because of our special circumstances. Our excuses, however, are nothing more than disobedience. God knows our true motives. He forgives, restores, and blesses only when we are honest about our sins. (By trying to hide his sins behind excuses, Saul lost his kingship.)

Joe