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Whoops…

Just a quick thought this morning gleaned from time in the pages of 1 Samuel.

Saul.

What a mess.

He became King at 30, reigned for 42 years…and basically it was a disaster from the get-go.

And here’s why.

He suffered from a common human condition…that we will just call chronic “I”tis. 

Here is a prime example from one of his first battles with the Philistines…the men are all gathered and preparing for battle.

They are waiting for Samuel to come and do the burnt and fellowship offerings but he has not arrived at the expected time.

The troops become nervous and restless…bad omen…not looking good for victory…let’s get while the getting’s good.

So Saul decides he will just take matters in his own hands and he takes on the role…though he is in no way authorized by man nor God to be the priest…he plays priest and sacrifices the burnt and fellowship offerings.

Samuel arrives and basically asks…What in the heck are you doing?????

To which Saul replies, with all the symptoms of “I”tis.

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.

Wow.

Can you relate as much as I can?

I saw…the current circumstances spiraling around me and how You, God, seemed to be distant and uninvolved in fixing them so…

I thought…that if I don’t do something here, things are going to go south quickly and I, or those I love, are going to come to ruin so…

I felt….a whole bunch of feelings and I acted on them when I really had no go-ahead from You, Lord…who knows the final outcome and the best way to go about this whole thing.

Makes you think, doesn’t it?

Oh Lord, have mercy on us all.

Help us to wait on You. 

Help us to trust You more. 

Help us to identify the symptoms of our own chronic case of “I”tis and to quickly seek the antidote of surrender to Your will in the early stages. 

Whenever I see…help my first thought be to ask for YOUR thoughts…so that my feelings do not compel me to act foolishly. 

 

 

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2 Comments

    1. Ha! You always can know I got the preaching delivered to me first before I pass it along to you all <3 Blessings dear one! May we be DOERS and not just HEARERS of the Word!!!

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