Devotion in a divided world A series in 1 Samuel A major theme of the Bible is the power of devotion in a divided world. When sin entered the world, it began to fragment everything. But God is on a mission to bring complete wholeness back into this world through His Son, Jesus Christ. One of the most memorable books of the Bible in the Old Testament is 1 Samuel. It’s the 9th book of the Bible, and it includes many popular historical accounts like David’s fight with Goliath. 1 Samuel is Biblical history in story-form. As you read the story, you begin to see that the key to flourishing in this world is learning how to be devoted to God in a divided world. Saul is transformed (1 Samuel 10:1-16) Spirit of God and sinful flesh Identity and authority Fear of critical voices The two faces of pride Questions: In verse 9 the Bible says that God changed Saul's heart. Literally in the Hebrew it says, "God turned to him another heart." In other words, God was giving Saul a taste of another heart to live by. Saul already had a heart of flesh, but God was inviting Saul to live by God's Spirit, instead of the flesh. Compare this to Romans 8:12-17. What do you see? In verse 8 Samuel tells Saul to wait on him. This is because Saul cannot be a good king unless he listens to the Word of God through Samuel. If Saul forgets who he is - that he is not the owner of God's people, but just a leader of God's people - then he will abuse his authority. How does remembering our identity in Christ teach us to not abuse our authority? In verse 16 Saul doesn't tell his uncle about the kingship. Why would he be shy to tell his uncle?