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"When disciples followed a rabbi, they followed him closely so they would never be out of his sight, never be someplace where they couldn’t hear him speak. They followed him so closely that his sandals often kicked up dust."
May you be covered in His dust.
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Romans is just 24 hours away.
I don’t think I’ve ever written as much as I have this past week. Thank you for reading 🙏🏽.
This style is different from what I usually write in Covered in His Dust—the verse-by-verse studies I’ve done through Luke and Acts.
Uncovering Scripture: The Gospel of Luke slows you down. It puts a magnifying glass in your hand. And, I hope, drops you to your knees in worship.
And if you’re in a country where money is tight and opportunities are rare, please don’t let the cost stop you. I’ve set aside a handful of scholarships.
If this resource would help you grow in your faith, serve others, or share the gospel, but you can’t afford it, visit the Scholarship page HERE.
[Disponible en español también]
The God Who Regretted
We don’t like to think about God regretting anything.
We want Him untouchable.
Above emotion.
Always unmoved.
But then we hit 1 Samuel 15.
Let’s get on with it.
Saul looked like the answer.
He was tall, handsome and strong. The kind of man Israel could brag about to the nations.
But he wasn’t obedient.
God had given Saul a command:
Destroy the Amalekites.
Every man, woman, child, and animal.
It was judgment for their violence against Israel generations earlier.
But Saul only half-obeyed.
He spared King Agag.
He kept the best sheep and cattle.
He wanted to look obedient while padding his own pockets.
And when Samuel confronts him, Saul blames the people.
He justifies himself.
He twists it to sound spiritual:
“We spared the animals… to sacrifice them to the Lord.” (1 Sam. 15:15)
It’s manipulation.
And Samuel calls it out:
“To obey is better than sacrifice.” (1 Sam. 15:22)
And then comes the verse that makes you whisper… “That can’t be in there.”
“And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.” (1 Sam. 15:35)
Wait.
God regretted?
How is that possible?
Did He make a mistake?
Didn’t He see this coming?
Here’s what we miss: This word—“regret”—isn’t about ignorance.
It’s about grief.
God isn’t caught off guard.
He isn’t surprised.
But He is wounded.
When Saul twists obedience into rebellion,
God feels it.
He doesn’t shrug.
He doesn’t stay distant.
He regrets.
He grieves.
He mourns.
This isn’t weakness.
This is love.
Because a God who cannot be grieved
is a God who cannot love.
Love makes you vulnerable.
And in His covenant with Israel,
God bound Himself to a people who would break His heart again and again.
And here’s where the weight of Scripture presses in:
Earlier in the same chapter, Samuel says,
“The Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.” (1 Sam. 15:29)
So which is it?
Does God regret or not?
The answer is yes. Both.
God doesn’t regret like we do.
He doesn’t change His mind out of ignorance.
He never acts without knowing the end from the beginning.
But He does experience regret in the sense of real sorrow.
He feels the weight of His people’s rebellion.
And He responds with righteous judgment.
That’s the God of the Bible.
He’s not cold or mechanical.
He’s holy, relational, and deeply invested in His people.
The kind of God who can be wounded,
yet never undone.
When you see the word “regret” in 1 Samuel 15, don’t picture a God who blundered. Picture a God who loves so fiercely that when His people betray Him, it breaks His heart.
God’s Character Revealed
1. God demands obedience, not empty religion
“To obey is better than sacrifice.” (1 Sam. 15:22)
We love to dress up rebellion as spirituality. God sees right through it.
2. God feels grief when His people rebel
“The Lord regretted that he had made Saul king.” (1 Sam. 15:35)
Sin isn’t just law-breaking. It wounds the heart of God.
3. God’s purposes never fail
“The Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret.” (1 Sam. 15:29)
Even in His grief, God’s plan is unshaken. His sorrow is real, but His will stands.
This story is about Saul, but it's also about you and me.
How often do we hide behind prayers and songs instead of surrender?
He wants obedience.
He wants our hearts.
Because He’s the kind of God who can be wounded, yet not weakened.
Romans begins TOMORROW NIGHT.
I cannot wait!
I’m nervous.
I’m excited.
But Uncovering Scripture: The Gospel of Luke is ready now. And every purchase fuels the work we’re doing and carries us further as a family. If you believe in what we’re building, grab it.
See you tomorrow night.
I love you,
George
Uncovering Scripture
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George Sisneros is a full-time missionary in Guatemala and the founder of Ordinary Missionaries and the El Rosario Christian Academy for Boys.
He’s been married to his wife, Vonda, for 26 years. He’s a father to nine children, five adopted.
In 2024, George and his wife expanded to Cuba, joining forces with nine pastors committed to transforming lives through the gospel.