26th July 2010

1 Samuel 13 – Samuel Rebukes Saul

• "Men of Pause"
• A different devotional today. I have spent a long time over my holiday thinking on this particular passage as I feel I am in a waiting time. I am being challenged to pause. But why?
• Shortly after Samuel anoints Saul, the King is told to wait for 7 days when facing the Philistines for Samuel to turn up and do two things;
• Make the appropriate sacrifice
• Tell him what to do
• [1 Sam 10:8].
• As Saul is waiting, the fear of the Philistine army begins to overtake Saul’s army. The Philistines had 3000 chariots and their soldiers were as numerous as the sand on the seashore. A standard Israelite army was around 3000.
• Saul’s army began to hide and then they began to scatter. Saul’s faith was tested; whilst facing a huge army and therefore a huge task; his army was deserting him. He was left with only around 600 men.
• Eventually the people’s faithlessness infected Saul. Their panic panicked him. On the 7th day, before the day was fully finished, Saul forces the issue. He makes a move that he should not, he makes the sacrifice himself.
• Samuel turns up and accuses Saul of stupidity and a lack of faith.
• Saul then displays a common characteristic of defending a sin; he gives a long answer to a short question. [v 11-12].
• It was not illegal for him to make the sacrifice but it was also not humble or submissive. Saul is replaced by another man… why? Because of the heart. [v14].
• Faith is in the waiting.
• Sometimes we can rush into something although God has clearly told us to wait. As a visionary, I don’t believe in just waiting around for something to happen but sometimes if God clearly indicates that I need to wait I must not panic and jump into something I will regret. Even though others may force their hand; I must not allow them to force mine.
• My question is… why wait? Why pause?
• Here is what the NIV stuidy Bible says about a different leader; Moses. I was given this today by one of the Global Pais team, Paul Green. Moses made His people wait for the following reason;
• "but in that long pause on the threshold of the promised land Moses reminded Israel at length of what the lord required of them as his people if they were to cross the Jordon”
• Is that why I should wait? In order to be reminded and in order to remind?
• Sometimes leaders need to make sure the right culture is in place before we make the next move – it’s a kind of filtering process we must not be afraid of. God sifts intentions, motives, dreams etc.
• On the trip home from my holiday, Andre the Pais:Germany director sent me the following email that once again confirmed this to me.
• Viele, die ihrer Zeit vorausgeeilt waren, mußten auf sie in sehr unbequemen Unterkünften warten. - Stanislaw Jerzy Lec polnischer Satiriker
• Many, who rushed ahead their time, had to wait for her in very uncomfortable housings.