Scripture:
I thought, the Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord. So I forced myself to offer a burnt offering.
1 Samuel 13:12
Observation:
It is amazing that we learn a lot about a person just by what he does. Saul was anointed king of Israel. He was chosen to lead God’s people and have a great future ahead of him. However, even with this position, we see that his character weakness of pleasing others was his downfall. When the situation with the Philistines was getting tough and Samuel hadn’t arrived yet, instead of leaning into the Lord in full obedience, he went with his own understanding and attempted to please man instead of God. Saul was given a certain instruction to follow, but when he started to feel threatened, he relied on himself to take control. He knew what he was doing was wrong, “I forced myself”, but as the king, he wanted the approval of the men. When they started scattering, instead of obeying God, he took matters into his own hand. This caused him to lose the future that was planned for him.
Application:
Offering a burnt offering wasn’t necessarily a sin but in Saul’s case, he was forbidden to offer the sacrifice. Still, he did to please the people. We can get caught up in the approval of man, to be accepted, to win their applause that we lose sight of the real reward of Jesus and settle for the temporary reward of man. Although we may know something is not right, we compromise and may do something to belong. Or we lean on our own understanding instead of God’s and go ahead and take the action anyway. When things that we expect to happen don’t happen, like when Samuel didn’t come when Saul expected him to, we must remember to stay faithful to the last instruction we were given. This is very profound because I am in a season where things are flying by me at mach speed. I can really get caught up in the happenings of the moment rather than the big picture of my life. I can easily get to thinking that I have to handle the situation now, rather than think of how it all relates to the direction and purpose of my life. I can brainlessly react to the situation rather than sit back and respond with the confidence of Jesus in my life
How will I be different today because of what I have just read?
I will remember to take things to Jesus so I am not reacting, but responding to what comes my way. I will remember to take a breath and take it to Jesus and not believe the lie that I have to do something about it immediately.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank you for your word today to hold on to you, and not to what is going on around me. To remember the last instruction you gave me and to be steadfast in your direction. Thank you Lord for helping me through my weakness of trying to make sense of what is happening right then and there without taking the time to sit at your feet. Forgive me Lord for trying to remedy situations and by doing so, sometimes missing the plan you have for me. Help me dear Lord to keep my eyes focused on you. In Jesus’ mighty name I pray… amen
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