Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

A Daily Devotional by Kenton Cheek

10 April 2024

Reading From I Samuel 13-14

Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering. Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.

“What have you done?” asked Samuel.

Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”

“You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

–I Samuel 13:7b-14

     When I am waiting for God to do something, it is easy to become impatient.  Sometimes in my impatience, I try to figure things out and come up with my own plan.  Trying to force things to happen rather than waiting on God’s timing does not end well.  It only leads to even more frustration.  The army of Saul was inadequately armed as there was no blacksmith in Israel.  The Philistines prevented Israelites from having their own forges and in doing so kept them dependent on Philistine blacksmiths for sharpening tools and farm implements.  Had Israel thoroughly destroyed the evil nations as Yahweh had instructed at the beginning of the conquest of Canaan, Saul and his army would not be in this predicament.  They were in a position where it was imperative for them to rely on God’s supernatural intervention to gain victory over the Philistines.  Had Saul been patient and asked the Lord, He would have blessed Saul with the strength and patience needed.

      As we live in a fallen world, the choices we and those of the generations before us have made have brought us to the condition we currently find ourselves in.  When we gain an eternal perspective from God, we realize that even the breath in our lungs comes directly from Him.  We are reliant on God for everything as He is the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens and the Earth.  It is only when we surrender to His will, wait upon His timing and function in the power and strength of the Holy Spirit that we will gain the most out of life for the glory of our Heavenly Father. 

     Jesus has already provided the victory by conquering sin and death on the cross and by breaking free from the tomb.  All we must do now is walk in that victory by faith.  Waiting on the Lord is difficult, but this is to be an active waiting.  It is not only biding time, it is serving Him while we wait as a waiter waits on tables.  If we wait for His timing and serve Him as we wait, He will work all things out for our good and the results will be better than we could ever imagine on our own.  Be careful to pay attention to the last thing God told you to do.  Do that and then wait for the next instruction.  In the meantime, be about your Father’s business.

“God, I know that You have to plans to prosper me, to give me and and my family hope and a future. You know that my desire is to please You, but sometimes I get frustrated with my present circumstances and want to try to make things happen before it is time.  Help me to be patient and wait upon You.  Thank You for Your Great Commandment to love and Your Great Commission to make disciples.  I pray that I would seek first Your Kingdom and find that all these other things will be provided.  Thank You that You want good things for me and my family and friends.  Bless Your eternal family with the strength we need to wait, endure and flourish.  Amen.”

And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” –Luke 2:49

And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. –Luke 19:13

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. –Isaiah 40:31

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

–Jeremiah 29:11-13