Title: Let's Do Something / Topic: Leadership

Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 13; 1 Chronicles 2; 1 Chronicles 3; 2 Corinthians 12

Scripture: 1 Samuel 13:11-12
11 "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 Micmash, 12 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."

Observation: Saul is hard pressed as he and his army are vastly outnumbered and the enemy has chariots, swords, spears, and shields while Saul's army has no weapons, only agricultural implements like shovels, rakes, and hoes! And to make matters worse, Samuel is late in arriving. His men are melting away in fear. Saul has to do something! And he makes a fateful decision: he decides to take matters into his own hands by performing the burnt offering himself -- something that only the priest was supposed to do.

Application: This is a common tendency for leaders, particularly young leaders. "Nothing seems to be happening. Let's do something! Let's make something happen." Saul had self-limited his options. "Either wait for Samuel to offer the sacrifice, or do it myself." He viewed the sacrifice as the thing -- a kind of gimmick event to hold his troops together. In reality, the sacrifice is not an event, it is worship of God expressing dependence upon Him. When Saul took it upon himself to do the sacrifice, he expressed self-dependence and violated the very spirit of the sacrifice. It is hard for young leaders to wait on the Lord -- to be patient and wait and have faith that He will do what needs to be done in His time. (At no time did Saul simply ask God for guidance or help or confirmation.)

Bottom Line: Resist the temptation to act for action's sake. Wait patiently on the Lord. When there are road blocks, seek Him first. Granted, there are times for bold action (as when Jonathan attacked the Philistines), but we must submit everything before God. In our leadership, we must not get ahead of God.

Prayer: Lord, following You is the essence of what I want my life to be about. Thinking Your thoughts, walking in Your ways, doing what You do, saying what You say. Help me to do these things consistently. I believe in You. I have trust in You.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.