1 Samuel 26:21 - We must repent from our sins not just acknowledge that it's sin

“Then Saul said, ‘I have sinned. Return, my son David. For I will harm you no more, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Indeed I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.”

1 Samuel 26:21

David spared Saul’s life a second time. The Lord had delivered Saul into David’s hands, but David would not stretch out his hand against God’s anointed. When Saul realized that David had spared his life he knew he had acted like a fool. He knew he had erred exceedingly. He knew he had sinned. Saul may have made the decision at that moment to not harm David, but it was a momentary feeling. His heart was still wrong and he still harbored ill-willed feelings for David. The thing is it is one thing to know that you have acted foolishly, erred exceedingly, and sinned and it is another thing to repent of the foolishness and the error and to get your heart right with God. Saul did the first, but not the latter. God calls us to do both.

Father, it is one thing to know that we have acted foolishly, erred exceedingly, and sinned and it is another thing to repent of the foolishness and the error and to get our heart right with You. Help us to do both when we err. For nothing is more important than being right with You. It matters in this life as well as for all eternity. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen