Kish was a wealthy and influencial man who was known in his nation. He had a son. This son was handsome and endowed with a good physic. He was admired by the people of his day. The regular person appreciates good things.
The son of Kish was not just the favourite of his countrymen, he also became the choice of God when his nation, Israel looked to God to place a king over them so they could cease to look different among the committee of the nations of their time.
This son was called Saul. He was handsome and likeable. But he had a fault. He was self-willed. He had his own way. This weakness would extend to God and destroy him and the prospect of retaining the kingship in his family line. God asked him to fight with Amalek and destroy every man and animal in the country. Saul did as was commanded but he preserved some animals and the king and brought them back to his own country alive. Disobedience. He paid dearly for that sin.
Self-will can do more harm than good to great potentials, ongoing work, and prospects when it comes to walking or working with God. That is why the counsel of scripture is for us to surrender to God’s will and let His will be the bidden of our lives. Even at the point of salvation, we should not hold on to our own will. God says to come to Him through Jesus Christ. We shouldn’t say it is enough to go to Him through another man, prophet, or an object. God says to confess our sins to Him. We shouldn’t be satisfied with confessing them to a man or ourselves. God says to invite Jesus into our lives. We shouldn’t just begin to attend Church services and meetings, thinking that those activities would replace that instruction.
Don’t have your own way when God has made known the way that you should go. That will be tantamount to self-will. God’s way to salvation is faith in Him, repentance from sin, and genuine conversion through Jesus Christ. Don’t replace that with water baptism. Don’t replace that with regular Church attendance. Don’t replace that with giving money and other resources to the priest or pastor. Don’t replace that with continuous Bible reading. Don’t replace Jesus – the mediator between God and man, with another man or an object. Don’t allow religious activities, beliefs and obligations to becloud God’s demand over your life. He has spelt out His requirements for salvation and that cannot change.
You see, obedience to God is key. Whatsoever He says to you, there is but one thing to do, ‘just obey’. That is God’s way.