Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul, however was still at Gilgal, and all his troops were gripped with fear. He waited seven days for the appointed time that Samuel had set, but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal, and the troops were deserting him. So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” Then he offered the burnt offering.     1 Samuel 13:7-9 HCSB

In my Bible, this passage is a part of Scripture entitled Saul’s failure. The Israelites rejected God as their leader. They wanted a king like all the other countries around them. So, God gave them what they asked for. He chose Saul to be their king. Initially Saul walked with the Lord, but as we go a couple years into his kingship we see that he begins to put God on the back burner. You see, he’s busy being king. He’s busy fighting the Philistines. In this particular passage, Samuel, the priest and prophet has instructed Saul to go to Gilgal and wait for him there. It’s the priest’s job to offer the burnt offering. God’s instructions on that were very specific. But we are told that Saul’s men are gripped with fear. Saul is in a desperate situation. He has been instructed to wait seven days for Samuel and he does. But when the seventh day got there, no Samuel. What’s a king to do?

Saul just decided he would take matters into his own hands and offer this burnt offering. This did not go so well. Just as he finished offering this burnt offering Samuel shows up and asks “What have you done?” Saul tells him that his troops were deserting him, the Philistines were approaching and most importantly, he realized that he hadn’t sought the LORD’s favor (v. 12). And there you have it. Saul had not prayed about this battle. He had not given this over to God. When we are fearful the first thing we should do is pray. Our faith should always be stronger than our fear. But rather than pray, Saul took matters into his own hands.

I don’t know about you, but when I want something done I want it done right away. If there is an appointed time, I want it to happen on time. I don’t want to wait. One thing I still struggle with in my walk with Christ is waiting. I often times have to recite Proverbs 3:5-7 which says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths. Don’t consider yourself wise; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.” God’s got this. Those three words have become my mantra when I face trying times. I repeat them often when I find myself waiting on the LORD. God tells us not to be fearful in Isaiah 41:10 for he is there with us and will uphold us with His righteous hand. What more could we ask for, right?

Isaiah 40:31 tells us that those who wait upon the LORD or trust in the LORD will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.” Our pastor pointed out a few years ago that while we wait, we should be serving the Lord.

We all go through tough times when it seems as though our help is deserting us and our enemies are closing in. This is when God can show his greatest glory. If we love the Lord and live our lives according to the purpose He has for us, we can rest assured that He is working all things for our good (Romans 8:28). We have no reason to fear. We must have faith. When Saul took matters into his own hands, he showed a lack of faith. He didn’t trust God to take care of him and his men.

If you are facing difficult times, know that if you love the Lord and are willing to surrender to Him, He will be there for you. He will fight your battles, for these battles are not your own but God’s (2 Chronicles 20:15). Several years ago I found myself in a fierce battle. There were numerous times when I was tempted to take matters into my own hands, but every time Psalms 46:10 came to mind which says, “Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

When we wait on God and His perfect timing, we show that we trust Him. We show that we have faith in His plan for us. If you are waiting for something today, pray to God, trust in Him and serve Him while you wait.

Have a great day!