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Today’s reading from 1st Samuel 15–17 solidifies King Saul’s ultimate demise. It almost feels—pure conjecture on my part—as though God was giving Saul one more opportunity to reflect on his rebellion and demonstrate the contrite heart He desires in His people.  If that’s what was happening between 1st Samuel 13:14 and today’s passage, then it’s clear Saul missed the mark. And God’s patience came to an end.

Once again, Saul disobeyed the command of the Lord—this time by sparing what he deemed as “good” from the Amalekite conquest. The people kept the best of the spoils (cattle and livestock), supposedly to offer as sacrifices, and Saul kept king Agag as a trophy to bolster his image as a victorious warrior-king. When confronted, Saul tried to spin the narrative. He claimed obedience, arguing that he had destroyed the Amalekites and brought back only the king. The people, he said, had merely kept the best animals to sacrifice to God.

But Samuel wasn’t buying it. He spoke directly and forcefully, offering no room for excuses. In 1st Samuel 15:22–23—one of the Old Testament's most popular verses—Samuel declares,

“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king.”

This verse resonates with so many believers because it speaks to a timeless truth: God is not impressed by performance; He’s pleased by obedience (John 14:21).

Saul did eventually offer a confession, but Saul’s words lacked genuine repentance and were aimed at preserving his reputation. Tragically, the Spirit of God departed from Saul that day, and an evil spirit was allowed to torment him.

Another popular Old Testament verse comes in chapter 16, when Samuel is sent to anoint a new king from the house of Jesse—the grandson of Boaz and Ruth. Jesse presented seven strong, regal sons, but God chose none of them. There was still one more. The youngest, David, who was likely still growing into his body was not even considered worthy of attending the meeting. But God had Samuel wait for him. Before David appeared, God spoke these words about his brother in 1 Samuel 16:7,

“Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

For those of us who don’t fit the world’s image of tall, dark, and handsome, this is encouraging. God isn’t looking for a few good-looking men—He’s looking for hearts fully committed to Him.

I could say a lot about chapter 17—arguably the most well-known story in the Old Testament: David and Goliath. But I’ll leave that for you to reflect on today. Just remember the theme we’ve left off with: God sees and values the heart of those committed to Him.

Takeaway: God desires obedience over appearance, and surrender over show. Today, keep in mind it’s not so important what others think of you, but what really matters is what God thinks of you. Live today for an Audience of One.