Scripture
Now the men of Israel were pressed to exhaustion that day, because Saul had place them under an oath, saying, “Let a curse fall on anyone who eats before evening – – before I have full revenge on my enemies.”

Observation
In the aftermath of the battle with the Philistines, Saul orders his men to not eat until they have full victory. Jonathan did not hear that order, and when he comes across some honeycomb he dips a stick into it and gets some honey which immediately refreshes him.

Evening comes, and the men slaughter the captured animals for food. They are so desperate to eat that they fail to drain the blood from them first. Saul sets up an altar to the Lord and orders his men to slaughter the animals in a way that honours the Lord.

Saul goes on to secure his grasp on the throne. he successfully defends Israel from attacks from the neighbouring nations, but the Philistines continue to be a problem for him

Application
Saul seems to be a man who recognised the authority of the Lord. He wanted to do what was right and sought the Lord’s directions on some key decisions. On the other hand, he could be impulsive and foolish, and this got him into trouble.

One key to living successfully with the Lord is to submit everything to Him. It is easy to remember to commit the big decisions to the Lord. The daily decisions that we make in our family, our relationships, and at work, often set our directions over the longer term.

We need to learn to live in constant communion with God, listening to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit as we navigate through our days.

Prayer
Speak, Lord, your servant is listening. Amen.