When God Sighs

# 207 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 15:10,11 “Now the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying, 11 "I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments." And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the LORD all night.” (1 Sam 15:10,11) Three words you don't want to hear from God, “I greatly regret,” The King James puts it this way, “It repenteth me that I have set Saul up to be king,” This same word is found in Ge 6:6 before God destroyed the earth with the flood. “And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.” The word 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. This “repenting of God” is simply God's expression of the truth found in Eze 33:11 "Say to them: 'As I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'I have no pleasure in 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?' God was sighing over what He was going to have to do to Saul because of his continued disregard for God's commands. Samuel knew what that sigh meant and note his reaction. He stayed up all night grieving over Saul and no doubt interceding for him. We could learn from that. When we hear of someone who has rejected God or fallen into deep sin we are often quick to condemn them to eternal hellfire, but would it not be better to “sigh” with God and Samuel and get on your knees and pray for mercy? God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked and neither should we.