23rd.: Samuel’s rebuke to Saul’s burnt offering
Only priests could offer burnt offerings. (1st Sam. 13:9)
Nevertheless, King Saul insisted on offered burnt offerings.
This hurt Saul's relationship with God.
Samuel rebuked Saul,
“Thou has done foolishly. Thou has not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God,
which he commanded thee. For now, would the Lord have established
thy kingdom upon Israel forever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue.
The Lord has sought him a man after his own heart.
And the Lord has commanded him to be captain over his people,
because thou has not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.” (1st Sam. 13:13-14).
This would have been a good time to ask the Lord for forgiveness.
If Saul had asked, it is possible that Saul would not have had the distress,
which he eventually suffered (as described throughout the rest of 1st Samuel).
But Saul did not ask.
When the Lord rebukes us, shall we not confess our sins?
“If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone.
If he shall hear thee, thou has gained thy brother.” (Matt. 18:15)