THURSDAY, JANUARY 14
Scripture: 1 Samuel 15:1-3

1 Samuel 15:1-3 makes it abundantly clear what the distinction between Saul and David looks like. Verses 1-3 says, “Samuel also said to Saul, ‘The Lord sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts: “I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.”’” Saul was given a mission. God remembered what the Amalekites did to Israel and it was cowardly and it was criminal. They waited until the end of the day and they attacked the end of the column – the women, children and elderly. They did not do war honorably. So the reason God hated the Amalekites was because they were terrorists. They shed innocent blood and conducted war exactly like today’s radical Muslims conduct war. This gives us insight into how God feels about terrorism. He commanded Saul to, “…Go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.” God wanted to utterly destroy them. But men like Saul will never reap the kind of harvest that men like David will. Only those of us who learn to pray the judgment of God can bring in that harvest. God is ready – are we?