I am certain that you are familiar with this verse. Great verse with a great promise and a great visual. But what comes with it is great difficulty. The reason – we don’t want to wait. There is a great example of not waiting in 1 Samuel 13, about King Saul.
“As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. So Saul said, “Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.” And he offered the burnt offering. Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him. And Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.” And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. – 1 Samuel 13:7-14
So the prophet Samuel told King Saul to wait. He waited and when Samuel didn’t show – he panicked. Since Samuel wasn’t there to do what Samuel was supposed to do, Saul decided he would do it himself. He saw his men getting restless and the enemy getting closer. It was time to take things into his own hands. He could kill an animal for a sacrifice. He could start a fire. He could pray. He knew what the prophet had told him, but maybe the prophet was misinformed. Not doing what God says to do – not keeping His commandment is a euphemism for sin. We like to think that doing what God says to do is optional – actually it is. We can choose to sin – just like King Saul. We can choose to not trust God but trust ourselves instead. There are always consequences for that. I am reminded of my old friend – Proverbs 3:5-8
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.” – Proverbs 3:5-8
I have seen so many people – Christians – choose a way other than the way that God has made clear – because they did not want to wait. They looked around them – what they saw caused fear to set in – and the did what they thought would allay their fears, only to find out that their problems were compounded. Don’t try to be a Lone Ranger Christian. Thinking that you can live the life on your own. Don’t isolate yourself from the influence of other Christians and the local church. You are part of a spirit body. If a finger is separated from the hand – and the body – it cannot do what it was designed to do – work in harmony with the others fingers and thumb. Refusing to engage with other Christians is really no different than what King Saul did. Trying to do it on your own.
“Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near…” – Hebrews 10:19-25
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
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