Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Wasted Tears
(I Samuel 16:1-5)
Genuine friendship mourns deeply its losses. Those who love strongly grieve intensely when relationships go awry. The Prophet Samuel, a spiritually consecrated man, forged resilient bonds of friendship with Saul. Saul’s sins, however, broke the relationship, and—after parting ways—they never saw each other again.
The breach in friendship did not engender bitterness in Samuel. He was too spiritual for that. Rather, Samuel mourned for Saul as if he had died (15:35). He wept for the potential lost, the talent wasted, and the heart hardened. He also wept because he had lost a real friend.
Sin is always destructive. Sin always does its alienating work. Sin builds walls of mistrust and betrayal that may never come down. So it was between Samuel and Saul. Their friendship ended, and intense loneliness set in for Samuel. The Scripture records that both God and Samuel were deeply disappointed (15:35).
Even in significant loss, there comes a time to stop grieving. The grieving process is normal, but it should also be temporary. Life must go on. The sun comes up after our darkest nights—and it does so until the end of time. When Samuel’s grief had gone too far, the Lord rebuked him: “How long wilt thou mourn for Saul?” God’s question indicated that the time for sorrow had past. God then instructed the old prophet that there was still work to do. A new king would be needed, and Samuel would once again do the anointing (16:1).
Though Samuel’s estrangement from Saul caused him to his former friend (2), Samuel did as the Lord commanded. Samuel had no idea he was about to meet a future hero, warrior, and king. Something good was about to happen, and Samuel needed to dry his tears in order to see it!
