Don't Get Ahead of God

When the men of Israel saw that they were in danger (for the people were distressed), then the people hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in holes, and in pits. And some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.

As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. So Saul said, “Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.” And he offered the burnt offering. Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him. (1 Samuel 13-7-10 NKJV)

I've heard many preachers refer to some Christ followers as "microwave saints." As with a microwave they want to push a few buttons, wait one minute for the 'ding' and everything is done. They want what they want, when they want it and usually, that means they want it right away. I find myself in a place where I am so hungry for more of God. I want to know more, see more, do more, be more and although I have prayed and prayed, it seems as though I can't grasp it fast enough. He's shown me some of the plans He has for me and the more God shows me, the more I want to see, feel, and experience, but God continues to feed me one spoonful at a time... most likely, for my own good.

As I sit here meditating on God's word, I heard Him caution me through the scriptures about getting ahead of Him. I read 1 Samuel 13 which speaks of Saul. After he was appointed king over Israel, he found himself in the middle of a battle and it appeared as though they were losing. Many of His soldiers became afraid of the enemy, so they ran and hid in caves or in the woods. Saul, after growing impatient waiting for Samuel to arrive on site, decided to carry out the sacrifice on his own, before they were attacked or before he lost more men. As soon as he completed the ritual, Samuel showed up, and he wasn't happy. Samuel actually told Saul what he did was foolish and as a result, Saul, who could have lived his entire life as a king blessed by God, was dethroned. As a matter of fact, not only did he lose his position, God had already chosen his replacement. And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.” (1 Samuel 13:13-14)

I can't even begin to tell you the number of times I found myself in Samuel's position. I prayed for or about something and became so impatient waiting for God to move that I began meddling. This only made things worse than they would have been had I kept my hands out of it. Waiting in general is very difficult. I meant think about it... waiting at the Doctor's office, waiting in line at amusement parks, waiting in traffic, even waiting sometimes in the fast food drive-thru line can be frustrating. Waiting doesn't get easier because you're waiting on God. It may be even more difficult because you have absolutely no control over 'when' or 'how,' Some people have been waiting for hours, months, days, even years for prayers to be answered. Others are waiting for their situations to just change. Waiting on God can be difficult and God knows that which is why He encourages us to be patient in His word.

David, a man after God's heart who became Saul's replacement, had to encourage himself and those around him to wait on God also:

Psalm 27:14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

Psalms 37:34 Wait for the LORD and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land Psalms 37:7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way...

Even when he desperately wanted nothing but God, he waited...

Psalms 130:5-6 “I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.”

I'm not going to lie to you. Like most people, I too hate waiting but the one thing I gain from it is a closer relationship with God.  I have found that nothing makes the time go by faster than spending time in God's waiting room seeking more of Him. The more I seek Him, the less I think of the situation and the closer I become to Him. Sometimes, I forget what I'm waiting for. Other times, it's resolved without me noticing or lifting a finger. Waiting on God could be an opportunity for growth as it was with David. Rushing ahead of God could cost you everything as it did Samuel. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven," and we have to trust that God, the creator of heaven and earth, knows the perfect time for our wait to be over. Until then... seek Him!