Good day.
We continue with 1 Sam 13 today in the DUMC Bible Reading Plan 2024.
The law regarding offering was clearly laid out. The priests were to carry out the sacrifices. There are rules to follow. Following the rules is a form of reverence to the Almighty God.
As a new king, Saul led his men to wage war against the Philistines. When Samuel did not turn up on day seven as scheduled, Saul’s men were scared. They began to scatter. Saul could not sit still. Perhaps he was eager to impress. Perhaps he wanted so much to help God. Perhaps he did not want to lose. Perhaps he wanted to remain king. Whatever his reasons, he did what he was not supposed to do. He offered the burnt offering in Samuel’s place,
“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 Mikmash, 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.” (1 Sam 13:11-12)
Samuel was not late. He arrived on day seven. He just did not arrive at Saul’s expected time. And Saul took things into his own hands.
There are times when we think God is late. We pray, and we expect something to take place in our expected time in the our expected way. A simple question, do we know better or does God know better? If we have an answer to that, who are we to question God’s timing? Who are we to question why God did is this way instead of that way?
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)
Do we want what’s best for ourselves? Trust God. Keep the faith. It is not easy. What we encounter in life often makes it hard to trust God. Maybe God is busy. Maybe I should handle this on my own. We will trust in our own “wisdom”. We will turn to other source of help. And we slowly drift away from God, losing the most precious thing we can possibly have – our relatioship with our Father in heaven.
Are you still waiting for the promotion? Are you still hoping for a daughter? Are you still looking for the golder retriever? Are you still waiting for the chance to be posted in that country you want to go so much you have even started learning the language (ni hao ma? annyeonghaseyo!)?
God knows what is the best time for us. God know what is best for us. Please trust him.
It’s been another week. I hope what I am doing here is a little but useful to you. Do like and comment so I know someone is reading. That will encourage me to press on.
The next time we meet here, my son and daugher-in-law would be 5717km away in Adelaide. They will be ther for two years. I will miss them very much.
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