Being Obedient to God

1 Samuel 13:1-14 (NIV)

1 Saul was [thirty] years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel [forty-] two years. 2 Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand were with him at Micmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. The rest of the men he sent back to their homes. 3 Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul had the trumpet blown throughout the land and said, "Let the Hebrews hear!" 4So all Israel heard the news: "Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become a stench to the Philistines." And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal. 5 The Philistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Micmash, east of Beth Aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns.7 Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. 8 He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul's men began to scatter. 9 So he said, "Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings. " And Saul offered up the burnt offering. 10 Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. 11 "What have you done?" asked Samuel. Saul replied, "When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Micmash, 12 I thought, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the LORD's favor.' So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering." 13"You acted foolishly," Samuel said. "You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD's command." 

Saul was in a very difficult situation. His men were deathly afraid of the Philistine army and were hiding everywhere they could.  He waited on Samuel for the seven days that Samuel commanded.  When Samuel didn't show up on time and Saul's men started to scatter, what did he do?  He went and did his own thing.  He decided he would offer up the burnt offering himself and have God's favor.  Right after this Samuel shows up.  He tells Saul that had he been obedient and just waited his reign over Israel would have been permenantly established that day.  Even though everything seemed to be against him and the odds were overwhelming, God was going to establish Saul permenantly that day for all time. But, Saul disobeyed.

How many times have we came to a point in life where it looked like we were done for and God wasn't showing up "on time" for us like Samuel?  Then we go and panic and just decide we're going to have to do it on our own and save ourselves.  I think we can learn from this story about Saul's failure that if we will wait in faith on the Lord and be obedient to what he tells us to do, then he's going to deliver us from whatever it is that we're up against.  This happens over and over in the Old Testament.  Time and again it looks like Israel will be defeated, but there's always a man willing to obey God no matter what.  And time and again when His people obey Him, God delivers them from their enemies.  

If you got something going on and it seems like there's no way out and no way of overcoming it, just wait in faith on the Lord.  Do no try to do it on your own.  Be obedient and He will deliver you.  He doesn't operate on our time.  He never shows up late.  He is always, ALWAYS on time.  Just wait.  I know it's hard to do, but I've read it over and over in the Old Testament.  When it looks as all is lost, one man obeying God will bring deliverance.  I want to be that man for my family.  I want to be the one who does whatever it is God is asking and brings blessings and deliverance to my home.