What can we learn from Saul's actions about trusting God's timing? Setting the scene • Israel is under Philistine threat. • Samuel has instructed Saul to wait seven days at Gilgal for him to arrive and offer sacrifices (1 Samuel 10:8). • By verse 16, “Saul, his son Jonathan, and the troops who remained with them stayed in Gibeah of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Michmash” (1 Samuel 13:16). The standoff exposes whether Saul will trust the LORD’s timetable. Saul’s impatience on display “Saul waited seven days for the time set by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the troops were deserting Saul. So he said, ‘Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings,’ and he offered up the burnt offering” (1 Samuel 13:8-9). • Saul sees soldiers scattering, the enemy assembling, Samuel absent. • He decides God’s prophet is late and steps into a role reserved for priests. • “Just as he finished… Samuel arrived” (v. 10). Timing that exposed Saul’s heart. Why Saul’s shortcut mattered • Disobedience—God’s word through Samuel was explicit (1 Samuel 10:8). • Presumption—Saul assumed sacrifice plus speed would secure favor. • Distrust—circumstances shouted louder than divine instruction. • Lost opportunity—“If you had… the LORD would have established your kingdom forever” (1 Samuel 13:13). Lessons on trusting God’s timing • Waiting tests allegiance. Delays reveal whether we serve God or our own anxiety (Psalm 27:14). • Obedience outranks urgency. God values listening hearts over hurried solutions (1 Samuel 15:22). • God arrives precisely on schedule, even “just as” we finish wrestling with fear (v. 10; compare John 11:6-7). • Kingdom impact rides on patience. Saul’s dynasty faltered; David, who “waited patiently for the LORD” (Psalm 40:1), received an everlasting covenant. Reinforcing Scriptures • Ecclesiastes 3:1—“To everything there is a season…” • Isaiah 40:31—“Those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength.” • Galatians 6:9—“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” • Hebrews 6:12—“Imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Putting it into practice • Anchor actions to clear Scripture before reacting to pressure. • Remember that visible delays never equal divine absence. • Measure success by obedience, not by immediate results. • Encourage one another to stay the course; community steadies faith (Hebrews 10:24-25). |
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