1 Samuel Chapter 13: Verses 11-13 (NIV-UK)
‘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 Michmash, I thought, “Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favour.” So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.’
‘You have done a foolish thing,’ 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.
Matthew Chapter 13:28-33 (NIV-UK)
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
Saul panicked. He had been told to wait time Samuel arrived so that the offering could be made. Saul was not a priest. It was not his role to make the offering. But he didn’t do as he was told to. Instead, he took matters into his own hands and showed that he didn’t trust God. When he was confronted by Samuel, he made matters worse by trying to justify his actions. It showed that he wasn’t really sorry for what he had done. Perhaps if he had genuinely been contrite, the outcome would not have been quite so harsh. But he went on to prove that he would always do what he thought was best and not what God wanted.
When we are faced with difficulties its easy to panic. We’re only human. But we need to take that panic to God and cry help for the strength to wait if that’s what He wants us to do. That’s better than trying to fix things off our own back, and doing things that we might later regret. Everything will not always go to plan. But perhaps God is waiting to see how much we trust that He knows what He is doing, or whether we feel the need to step in. And if we realise that we have sinned – because that is what disobedience to God is, far better to confess and seek forgiveness than try and make excuses for our actions.
Peter panicked when he saw the waves and realised where he was. That made him take his eyes off Jesus, but when he cried out for help, Jesus reached out and gave it. Those of us who have been on the Christian journey for a while need to take a deep breath and remember that God has never let us down, and He never will!
Dear Lord,
Help me to keep my focus on Your will in times of unexpected difficulties. If I start to look at the situation, it distracts me, and I start to flounder like Peter on the sea of Galilee. I don’t want You to have to say what was said to Peter. “Why did you doubt?” I ask for the patience and the faith to do as You have asked, even if it looks like things aren’t going to plan. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.