¹³ “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. ¹⁴ But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.” I Samuel 13:13-14

Saul, the first king of Israel, transformed quickly from a reluctant ruler to a confident king, who often let his own fears dominate his life.

In this story from I Samuel 13 — Saul and his troops are outnumbered by their enemies. Fear is beginning to grip the hearts of his men, and they begin deserting him.

The prophet Samuel had instructed Saul to wait for him before going into battle, and he would offer a sacrifice to God and inquire of the Lord.

Seven days passed, and Samuel didn’t show up.

Saul was getting nervous, and decided to take action.

⁹ So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself.

¹⁰ Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and welcome him, ¹¹ but Samuel said, “What is this you have done?”

Saul replied, “I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn’t arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle. ¹² So I said, ‘The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the Lord’s help!’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.” (I Samuel 13:9-12)

Samuel rebukes Saul for taking matters into his own hands.

¹³ “How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. ¹⁴ But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.” (I Samuel 13:13-14)

The story of Saul’s life was marked by disobedience.

This won’t be the first time that Samuel calls out Saul’s disobedience (See I Samuel 15).

What was the command of the Lord to Saul?

The simple command of the Lord was to wait.

Saul’s failure to wait kept him from the promises of God.
Why? Because God was looking for a man after his own heart.

The man or woman that God is looking for is the one that will wait.

God is looking for people who will wait on Him.
Who desire to be where He is.
Who just want to please Him with every part of their life.
Who have a holy fear and reverence for Him.

Who like Moses say — “If you don’t go with me – I’m not going.”

The Bible tells us that “Perfect love, casts out fear.” (I John 4:18)

Fear cannot co-exist with God’s presence.

There is a holy fear — a reverence, an awe, a desire to not offend God that is good. A sense of our own unholiness in the presence of the King. This is the fear of the Lord that please God.

Psalm 25:14 — says that “The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.”

Those with a holy fear and reverence for God — will hear His secrets.

But unholy fear — human fear, marked by anxiety and doubt and worry — cannot co-exist with God’s presence.

When you are in His presence, it doesn’t matter how long He takes to work or act or move — nothing matters except being there where He is.

When you are living as a person in God’s presence — you will be content to wait for Him to act. Because in His presence is fullness of joy. (Psalm 16:11)

God is looking for people who are content to wait .

David — was the man that God had chosen to replace Saul.

David penned these words in Psalm 27:

One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.

…When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”

…Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord! (Psalm 27:4,8,14)

When you are in God’s presence, you don’t want to leave.
Waiting isn’t a chore — it’s a reward.

May you be a person after God’s own heart, as you experience His presence and wait on Him.