Word for the day "Pressure of Life"
I Samuel 13:8 (NASB) 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 As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him and to [e]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”At critical times in our lives, it seems as if everyone wants something from you or expects you to do something? Pressure has become a regular part of our lives in the 21st century world. And these will be times when you’re forced to choose between surrendering to the pressure of others and doing the will of God.Scripture remembers Saul as a man who didn’t choose well. Israel was at war. In the midst of battle it was customary to have a priest offer sacrifices. Samuel had promised Saul that he would come at an appointed time to do this. Saul waited for a while but began to feel pressured because his troops were leaving him. He knew that it was against God’s law for him to offer the sacrifices because he was not a priest. But Saul decided he couldn’t take the pressure any longer. He offered the sacrifices himself.Just as he finished, Samuel arrived. “‘How foolish!’ he said. ‘You have disobeyed the command of the Lord your God. Had you obeyed, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your dynasty must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart.’” (1 Samuel 13:13-14)If Saul had waited just one more hour, he would have kept his kingdom. Surrendering to God means that you resist surrendering to those who pressure you to disobey his commands. When you surrender to ungodly pressure, you pay the consequences. When you surrender to God, you benefit, and your family benefits for generations to come.