Do I Respond To Circumstances Or To The Word Of God?

1 Samuel 13:11-12---And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. The Philistines were gathering to fight Israel. The Philistines numbers and technology were vastly superior. Samuel had told Saul to wait seven days, and he would come to offer sacrifices before the battle. Saul could see the enemy gathering and the Israelites deserting. HE THOUGHT he needed to rally the people. The time Samuel promised to come was about up. Saul leaned to his own understanding instead of obeying in faith. Samuel arrived immediately after the sacrifice was offered and asked, "What is going on?" Saul justified his actions. He sounded very religious. "I had to seek God's favor before the battle. I felt compelled." But that was not what he was told to do by God's prophet. Compelled by whom? By his own fears, reason, and doubt. He took matters into his own hands. This began a pattern of rebellion in Saul. Today we would probably be referring to Jesus as the son of Saul instead of the Son of David if Saul had remained obedient to God. We have choices of faith throughout our life that have far-ranging consequences. Do we trust God even when our eyes see great trouble? Will we take matters into our own hands, because we think God will not or cannot help? Or will we walk in faith and be blessed?