Day 26- Shortcuts
In chapter 13 Saul slips up big time
by making an unlawful sacrifice. It makes me a little
nervous because sometimes I think I have some character
traits of Saul, like making excuses. He has several
that sound pretty convincing here:
1. The soldiers were scattering
2. Samuel had not come as promised
3. The Philistines (the enemy) were gathering forces
4. There was imminent danger of Philistine attack
I mean, when I first read it, I thought
they were legitimate reasons, not just flimsy excuses.
I’m a very logical person. Unfortunately
my logic tends to work against me a lot of the time.
If I’m hesitant, worried or unsure, I start
to rationalize why I should short-cut to the solution
or get around whatever obstacle there is, without
facing it like God intends. Even on multiple choice
answer tests, my instinct or gut answer was nearly
always right, but if I stopped to think about it,
I would talk myself out of the right answer. I guess
diving isn’t all that different either. When
I’m learning a new dive or doing one I’m
scared of, I have to go right away and trust my body
to move the way it needs to and knows to. But if I
stand there for just a moment, I’ll start thinking
about anything and everything from the scary parts
of the dive to what I’m having for dinner after
practice. Needless to say when I start thinking before
I dive, I’m in trouble.
I feel like all of these chapters I’m
reading about keep leading me back to trusting God.
Maybe it’s really the message I’m getting
from the story, or maybe it’s just what God
is teaching me right now- because He is definitely
working hard on my trusting issues right now. The
bottom line is now matter how great Saul’s reasons/excuses
sound, he broke the commandment God gave him. No matter
how wonderful my rationalizations may sound in my
head, or even out loud, when I make rationalizations
it’s because I’m not willing to wait on
God and trust Him with the result. I’m trying
to take matters into my own hands to make sure they
get done. I don’t know how I could ever think
that something I do would ever be remotely close to
as good as something God would do.
Lord,
It hurts when You shake my confidence in myself. I
feel lost and scared. But thank You for shaking my
confidence in myself, because my confidence needs
to lie solely in You. I know I feel lost and scared,
but it’s just a feeling. I want to trust You
even when I can’t see the finish line, even
when I can’t see around the next corner, even
when I can barely see the next step. I want to trust
Your plan for my life Lord. I don’t know which
direction that plan is, but as long as You’re
there, I want to be there, too. Lord, help me to trust
You more. When I feel lost and scared, please remind
me that You know exactly where I am, and that means
I’m safe in Your hands. Thank You Lord.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
