Ending a relationship, even a shallow one, can be painful. For people who are hard to talk to, it is often much easier to just stop talking to them. This can lead to trouble, but often it just sets the expectation that communication has ended. But ultimately, both parties have to communicate for a relationship to exist!

Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage.
Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.” And Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy?
1 Samuel 28:11-16

Saul had stopped having a relationship with God.

If you want God to answer your requests and your questions, make sure you don’t follow the example of King Saul. When he disobeyed God, rather than turning to God to repent, he went to a diviner to call up the spirit of the prophet Samuel. The success of this ritual seemed to surprise the woman herself and Samuel gave no advice except to point out what Saul already knew; by disobeying God, he had sealed his own fate as God’s chosen king.

Don’t go looking for advice in other places. God’s word is sufficient for finding the correct path, whether you are on it right now or you seek it for the path ahead.

Ethan Kirl

Originally Published August 24, 2021