Your Soul Matters To God

# 226 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 15:34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul. 35 And Samuel went no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul, and the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel. (1 Sam 15:34,35) For the second time in this chapter we read of the Lord's regret over making Saul king of Israel, and Samuel's mourning as well. (See 1Sa 15:11) This repetition should cause us to consider the importance of this event. This is a somber moment in heaven itself as God sighs deeply over the lost condition of Saul. The word “repent” here means “to sigh deeply.” I think we've all heard that sigh at one time or another, it is usually associated with extreme disappointment over something we did or didn't do, and is a precursor of action that must be regrettably taken by someone in authority over us. God does not take glee over the death of the wicked but “that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?' (Ezek 33:11) Just as there is great glee in heaven over every sinner who repents, so there is also great sorrow over those who don't. Your soul matters to God! As God sighs over what He must do to the unrepentant Saul, Samuel also mourns and I am reminded of the tears that Jesus shed over Jerusalem in Luke 19:41-44, “Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 "For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 "and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation." Jesus weeps over the lost! Your soul matters to God! Repent! Turn to Jesus and live!