Learning to Wait
Learning to Wait
Words of Faith 9-10-24
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2024
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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1 Samuel 10
[14] Now Saul's uncle asked him and his servant, "Where have you been?" "Looking for the donkeys," he said. "But when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel." [15] Saul's uncle said, "Tell me what Samuel said to you." [16] Saul replied, "He assured us that the donkeys had been found." But he did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said about the kingship.
So, how do you tell your relatives that you have been chosen for God's task? Maybe you don't... at least not right away.
Samuel had poured a flask of oil over Saul's head as a sign of the anointing of God. He kissed him, saying, "Has not the Lord anointed you leader over his inheritance?" If you think about it, this was not the most confident pronouncement. But there were still three signs that would confirm Saul's anointing as king. Only one of them had happened.
So when is it time to tell your relatives? It may be that Saul's first, most kingly act was to keep his mouth shut. If Saul was indeed chosen and anointed king, this would be confirmed. It may be that Saul was genuinely humbled by the task before him. If so, it would not become a characteristic of his leadership.
We don't know who this uncle was for sure, but he may well have been Ner, the father of Abner, who later became the commander of Saul's army (14:50-51). It would have been easy for Saul to start recruiting his team and naming his cabinet. But even Saul had some sense of awe before the enormity of this calling. There was no boasting. No promises were made to friends and family. Saul did not run ahead of the plan that Samuel had pronounced to him.
We might be reminded of Joseph (Genesis 37), who had prophetic dreams about his future rise to power. When Joseph shared these dreams with his brothers, they responded in jealousy, threw him in a pit, and sold him into slavery! Of course, God used all of that to save Israel. But if Joseph, who was very pure of heart, received such treatment from his family, what might have happened to Saul? Saul was a big guy, not easily tossed into a cave, but things still might have gotten off track.
The truth here is a lesson about waiting on the Lord. Did Saul lie to his uncle by not telling the "whole truth" when asked? No. These were not things for his ears and heart. Not yet. Saul was anointed to be king, but that was still to be confirmed before the people. It was not time yet to talk about the monarchy or choosing generals. There were confirmations yet to come.
In our lives, there are times when the Lord is calling, anointing, and empowering us to do something that He has envisioned, but it is not yet time to start, share, or talk. We might be tempted to strategize, recruit, dream, or just enjoy the plan with others, but it is not yet time. When God's vision is before us, we need to be obedient to the Lord and wait upon Him to confirm that plan.
James, the brother of Jesus, gave caution regarding talk about our plans. Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil (James 4:13-16).
Father God, I want only to be in the place that You desire me to be, doing the things You have planned for me. Lord, give me ears to hear You. Give me vision to see what You have planned. Give me a heart that is passionate for You. Give me the patience to wait. Give me confirmation of your plans for me. Keep me from running ahead and from boasting except in You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2024
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2024 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.