1 Chronicles 9:35-39
1 Samuel 13:1-14:52
1 Samuel 13:13-14b, "How foolish!" Samuel explained. "You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart."
We've all been there. We see something that we want now, something we think will solve our problems and make our lives fuller, easier. Then we realize we've made a mistake - God's best was still coming.
In today's reading, we see Saul skip a few steps. And really, who could blame him? The Philistine army was pressing in on all sides. His men were weaponless and fleeing in droves. Where was Samuel, the nation's spiritual leader? It had been seven days, and he was nowhere in sight. Saul felt he needed to make a move, so he took matters into his own hands. He made burnt and peace offerings to God, despite Samuel's previous instructions not to. In doing so, he not only sinned against God, but he also lost his future kingdom. God was looking for someone after His own heart, and Saul proved he was not the man for the job.
Have you ever been impatient like Saul? Maybe you acted out of fear, not trusting God to come through? Unlike Saul, we don't literally have a prophet like Samuel giving us clear instructions - but we do have God's Word. When we take shortcuts, we miss out on His best because His plans are always perfect and on time.
So, be patient. Seek to be a person after God's own heart and trust that He will always come through, no matter the circumstances. His best is yet to come!
Dear God, As I head into this week, help me focus on what You desire for me and trust Your timing, knowing that You will always arrive according to Your perfect plan and purpose. I want to experience Your best! Amen.