1 Samuel 13:8-14 – He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him. Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering. And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”
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When King Saul found himself in a difficult position, he decided that he would do whatever he could think of to get himself out of it. He decided to make an offering to God in order to seek the LORD’s favor. However, the offering was not Saul’s right to make. Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin. Only priests from the tribe of Levi were authorized by God to present offerings to him. Saul messed up, and cost himself and his family the future kingdom of Israel.
In our own lives, it is very easy to be tempted to do whatever we think we “have to” do to get what we feel we “need.” At times, when circumstances get hard, we think that we are forced by the situation to break a few rules in order to have a good outcome. But God does not smile upon such things. God smiles on our obedience. He smiles on our trusting him. He smiles when we believe that obeying his commands is truly the best thing for us. He does not bless us when we disobey his commands, because our disobedience, even in difficult circumstances, does not glorify his name.
There are lots of situations in which Christians today might be tempted to act like Saul and disobey God’s word out of supposed necessity. The single person who believes he “needs” a spouse might be tempted to compromise God’s standards and pursue a spouse regardless of whether or not that person is seeking after God. The Christian whose family is in financial difficulty might be tempted to take money that does not belong to her out of a desire to help; but such an activity would dishonor the LORD. The Christian who has made an embarrassing choice may want to tell a little “white lie” about it in order not to lose face. All such choices, though they may seem logical at the time, go against God’s commands and dishonor the name of God.
Today, in a time when you may not be in a tight squeeze, is the time for you to decide that you will obey the word of God in all situations. Recognize that the blessing of God is not for the one who takes matters into his own hands and who does whatever seems right in his own eyes. God blesses the one who follows his word and trusts his God above all. So decide, right now, to trust God’s word and God’s standards no matter what.
LORD, I acknowledge here and now that your word and your way is best. I know that, for me to disobey your commands, is for me to dishonor you. I want to honor you only. I do not want to make excuses for breaking your commands. I want to follow you, even in difficult circumstances. Help me to have the strength to follow your word, regardless of whatever difficulty I am facing.
Pastor Travis Peterson 