Day 19 | Saul

Read 1 Samuel 13:1-22

Saul, the first king of Israel, was God’s chosen to lead the scattered nation. Even though Saul won many battles, he often lacked confidence in God. Saul’s disobedience to God was the primary source of his problems, especially as it brought heartache and trouble into the lives of those close to him. Saul’s life ended tragically during battle. After being wounded, he took his life by falling on his sword.

There’s a famous saying, “If you want something done right, do it yourself.” The problem with that statement is sometimes God instructs us to wait on others. Patience is a tricky thing, especially in this busy world. In these moments, our sinful human nature takes over, and we fail. Often. Much like Saul, we think we have the ability to
fix the problem on our own. Saul could see the battle slipping away with every soldier that fled. At that moment, all the pieces were there: the time appointed by the high priest Samuel, the battle, the burnt offering, and the fellowship offering. There was just one thing missing, God. Saul makes a decision not to wait on Samuel, as instructed, but instead offers the burnt and fellowship offerings himself. Saul allowed the fear of
failure and the noise around him to distract him from what God had planned. This act of disobedience led to Saul’s disconnection from God.

Our decisions have consequences. Thankfully, we have the Bible to guide us. Psalm 130:5 shows us how to proceed in moments like the one Saul experienced, it says “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits. And in His Word, I hope.” Our obedience to God is more significant than our sacrifices to God. Next time we find ourselves in a moment of trial, let’s not be like Saul. Let’s take a minute, breathe, and focus on the Lord. Let’s remember his past promises and actions and wait. He will meet us there.

Pray for 10 minutes