Saul can’t seem to do anything right, can he? At first he was too reluctant to perform his royal duties, hiding from the crowd that wanted to make him king (10:22), and then lingering on his farm when he needed to take the initiative to protect his people from foreign invaders (11:5). But then he seems to have gone too far in the opposite direction, impetuously assuming the priests’ responsibility of making offerings before heading into battle (13:9). What’s wrong with this guy?

Well, it just may be that all of Saul’s erratic behavior stems from a common source: the belief that he had to shoulder all of his responsibilities by himself. He was hesitant to ascend the throne because he knew he didn’t have ability to meet all his people’s needs. And even though Samuel had told him to wait for seven days before heading into battle (10:8), Saul let the urgency of the situation govern his actions. He thought he couldn’t wait any longer to raise the morale of his army by bringing offerings to the Lord, even though that meant violating God’s clear command that only priests from the tribe of Levi should make such sacrifices. In short, by continuing to focus only on what he himself could or could not do, Saul consistently displayed a lack of faith in God.

So, what about us modern-day Christians? Do we ever catch ourselves worrying about whether we can accomplish all the tasks on our to-do list? Do we ever find ourselves discouraged by guilt, thinking that unworthy of the blessings we have received? Are we thus doubting God’s power or God’s love?

On the other hand, do we rush into big decisions, confident that we can figure everything out on our own instead of relying on Scripture or prayer or the counsel of godly friends to guide us? Regardless of our profession of faith in Christ, are we really trusting God, or do we keep falling back on our own resources, and thus vacillating between overconfidence and despair?

Well, regardless of Saul’s infidelity, Samuel did show up, and on the exact day that he had promised (13:10). And in the same way, we can trust the Lord to keep His promises too, promises of grace and mercy and forgiveness even for discouraged, doubting, impatient, or over-confident sinners like us. For as Paul told Timothy, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself” (II Timothy 2:13).

So, no matter how obvious our decisions may seem to us today, and no matter how overwhelming our problems may be, let’s look only to the Lord for guidance and deliverance. For He will never lead us astray, and He is always right on time.

I Samuel 13:1-14 (NASB)

Saul was forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-two years over Israel.
2 Now Saul chose for himself 3,000 men of Israel, of which 2,000 were with Saul in Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, while 1,000 were with Jonathan at Gibeah of Benjamin. But he sent away the rest of the people, each to his tent.
3 And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul blew the trumpet throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.”
4 And all Israel heard the news that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become odious to the Philistines. The people were then summoned to Saul at Gilgal.
5 Now the Philistines assembled to fight with Israel, 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen, and people like the sand which is on the seashore in abundance; and they came up and camped in Michmash, east of Beth-aven.
6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were hard-pressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in cliffs, in cellars, and in pits.
7 Also some of the Hebrews crossed the Jordan into the land of Gad and Gilead. But as for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
8 Now he waited seven days, according to the appointed time set by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering from him.
9 So Saul said, “Bring to me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering.
10 And it came about as soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, that behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him and to greet him.
11 But Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the appointed days, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmash,
12 therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked the favor of the LORD.’ So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering.”
13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, for now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.
14 “But now your kingdom shall not endure. The LORD has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”