Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– Warren Wiersbe
Persistent Patience
King Saul was not very patient. The Bible says that “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” (1 Samuel 13:7-10). So Samuel told the king, “’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’” (1 Samuel 13:13). If only Saul had been more patient in waiting for Samuel, Saul would have remained on the throne of Israel.
Waiting on God
It is so easy to want to take matters into our own hands (like King Saul). But the Bible teaches, “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord'” (Romans 12:17-19). God’s judgment seat is a one-seater, and we are not qualified to judge. Wait on God and trust Him to judge righteously.
Divine Timing
I have experienced life enough to know that there are no coincidences, only God’s timing. We might think we are in control, but God is sovereign, even over a pagan king’s heart (Proverbs 21:1). When there was a plot to kill the Jews, Esther had just become queen and Mordecai wanted her to approach the king about this issue. Mordecai, seeing God’s providence, said, “For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). And, indeed, the Jews were sparred.
Conclusion
When we don’t wait on God, we are showing that we don’t trust Him. When we are patiently waiting for Him to work in our lives, He can do things that are unseen by human eyes; and God is able to bless us if only we will wait upon Him.
