Wait for the Lord

1 Samuel 13:11-12  

King Saul was worried. He had led his army to war, but he needed God’s blessing before the battle. He knew Israel was God’s chosen nation and he couldn’t expect success without God’s support and approval. But the enemy army was ready to attack and so were his own soldiers. They were getting restless and he knew he was losing control. The problem was that Samuel was the one authorized to make sacrifices and he was late.

So Saul decided to make the sacrifice himself, but God had ordained that the priests do it – not the king. After all, waiting for Samuel put the whole army at risk, and the important thing was to ask for God’s help and then get the job done. Saul was impatient so he did things his way, instead of waiting for God to do them His way. He forgot that it was God who had sent him to war with the enemy.

I’m afraid I do that way too often. When I have something to do, I say a quick prayer and then get on with it. But when I don’t wait on God, I won’t have His blessing. Like Saul, I forget Who I’m serving.

*****

God stopped me right after I wrote those words. He pointed out that I was doing exactly what I had written. I’ve been much busier than I want to be and rushing from one thing to another. Most of what’s keeping me busy is serving God in some way – helping Eryn, writing devotionals, teaching Sunday School, planning a retreat . . . 

But I haven’t been waiting on the Lord. Sometimes I haven’t even made time to say that quick prayer. So God stopped me.

This week I've been spending time at His feet, reading His Word and waiting for Him to teach me. I have walked with Him in the garden and basked in His presence. I have prayed for the people I’m called to serve, but I have let Him make the plans and follow through on them. 

I’m much more at peace than I was a week ago. I was finally available to Eryn when she needed me. God went ahead of us to the retreat and did His work in all our hearts, including mine. Now I’m watching for how He’s writing through me.

All I have to do is be patient and wait for Him to arrive before I make the sacrifice. When He gets here, I'll do it His way.