"I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down upon me at Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favor of the LORD'; so I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering." Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you. The LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever, but now your kingdom will not continue; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart; and the LORD has appointed him to be ruler over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you." And Samuel left and went on his way from Gilgal. The rest of the people followed Saul to join the army; they went up from Gilgal toward Gibeah of Benjamin.

Saul counted the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.

1 Samuel 13:12-15

King Saul learned the high cost of disobedience. Saul had begun his reign with humility and compassion, and he gave God the credit. And the prophet Samuel told him that God would have kept the kingship in his family if he had obeyed God's command. But that one act of disobedience changed the course of his life. From that point on, it was a sad downhill journey.

Never forget that disobedience has consequences.

And some of them may be very costly.

The way of obedience is the only way of blessing.

Our Daily Bread - March 14, 2004