Staying in your story Part 2 - The Waiting Game!

Let’s take a closer look at the importance of waiting on the Lord and staying put.

The second time that Saul did not wait on the Lord was in a situation completely opposite. In the proceeding verses we she it was at a time when the battle was going in his favor.

Here God used Saul’s son, Jonathan and his armor bearer to overthrow a group of Philistines by causing the ground to tremble and quake which sent confusion among the armies of the Philistines and they began to scatter in fear.

Meanwhile, Saul was back at the camp. He could see that the Philistines were fleeing but he couldn’t figure out why. So in wanting to know what was going on he called upon Saul talked to the priest, that the noise which was in the camp of the Philistines continued to increase; so Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand."  1 Samuel 14:19 (NKJV)

But when God would not answer the priest and the confusion in the Philistine camp kept growing it became obvious to everyone God was fighting for Israel. But that wasn’t good enough for Saul, he wanted God to tell him what was going on and when He would not Saul gave the order to charge into battle and God did allow them to win.

What we must learn from this is that even though things may be going our way, we still need to wait on God. Even though he did not wait for God to answer, the Lord still gave him the victory.

God’s silence was the test! When God isn’t speaking to us doesn’t mean He is not working for us. Saul won the battle, but he failed the test.

The third time Saul did not wait on God was the most worst of them all. It happened during a battle with the Philistines. The Philistines had gathered in a group against Israel with the intent to take Israel out. Saul was overcome with fear, so he did the only thing he knew to do – inquire of the Lord.

Saul was so desperate to hear a word from the Lord, he consulted with those who received divine dreams, he consulted priest and prophets, but nothing worked.

Saul had a hard time learning what to do and what not to do. In this case like the others he should have did nothing and listened.

Ephesians 6:13 (NKJV)
¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

But we cannot withstand unless we have done our duty—unless we have obeyed and prepared ourselves.

Saul should have anchored himself and waited for God to speak. But he didn’t. And by not waiting and listening he made the greatest mistake of his life. He consulted a medium. 1 Samuel 28:7 (NKJV)
⁷ Then Saul said to his servants, "Find me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her." And his servants said to him, "In fact, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor."

Since God wasn’t talking to him, he went with other options. He asked a medium to bring Samuel who was deceased back from the dead so that he could receive military counsel from him. And move cost him his life.

God tested Saul repeatedly with His silence, and in these three crucial instances he failed the test. Watching this caused David to develop in wisdom and maturity. He had determined, he said, “When I become king, this much I am going to do – I am going to wait on God.”

And because he did, God was able to write an amazing story with his life. May we each have the faith and grace to wait for God to write our story in His way and time.