Sermonette: Wait for it

Wait for it.

In 1st Samuel we come across the first king of Israel: Saul. Now, many of us know how the story of Saul turns out, but he began as a courageous leader. His first royal action was to rally all of Israel together (a feat unto itself in those days) and rescue a city in danger of being captured by one of Israel’s enemies. Saul initially inspired confidence that he may just be the kind of leader Israel needed. However, it didn’t take long to begin to see his shortfalls.

See, his initial victory and subsequent crowning had riled the massive Philistine army to war. Saul gathered his troops and prepared for a victory he was certain God would give them. Only one thing was missing: Samuel to offer a sacrifice to God before they march off. For a week Saul waited and for a week, Israelites got cold feet and ran away at the approach of the oncoming Philistine army. Saul feared his entire army would abandon him if something wasn’t done soon, so he did it. Saul offered the sacrifices so the army could move forward, despite not being a priest.

As one would expect, Samuel arrived shortly after Saul offered the sacrifices illegitimately and roundly chastised him for his lack of patience. Samuel promised that eventually another would take his place and Saul would lose the kingdom. All because Saul didn’t wait for Samuel and God. He foolishly thought victory was related to how many soldiers he had under his command, and not obedience to God.

Today, we don’t face a huge Philistine army, but often God calls us to wait. Wait to switch careers. Wait for children. Wait to retire. Wait to move in together. Our culture is a culture of instant gratification, but our God has a bigger plan that we cannot see. So often, he calls us to patiently wait. Stand, hold tight as the army draws near, the waters rise, and the budget nears zero. Our human side says “no, be smart. Make your move,” but faith tells us to trust. Hold fast. God’s got a plan. Wait, and then see God’s victory.

May you trust God. Know that our feeble human minds play checkers, while God is playing chess. Wait, until God tells you to go.