Hear
God’s Word
The
life of King Saul is a consistent reminder of the destructiveness
of impulsive behavior. Early in his reign he was hesitant
to wait on God and keep His way. The army of the Philistines
had assembled 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen and a multitude
of people as numerous as the sand on the seashore (1 Samuel
13:5) in response to an earlier attack by Saul in Geba.
In
spite of the encroaching army Samuel had instructed Saul to
wait at least seven days before going into battle, so he could
come to Gilgal and offer burnt offerings to God on behalf
of Saul and his armed forces. As Saul took inventory of his
circumstances, (an army eager for Saul’s destruction,
a fragmentation of his own forces, and a priest who failed
to realize the severity of these issues), he knew he had to
do something.
Impulsiveness
ignores the morality of specific decisions. Saul was determined
to act and called for the burnt offering and the peace offerings
to be brought to him that he might offer them up to God himself.
His impulsiveness led him to violate the very procedures God
had set forth to protect Saul and His people. As soon as Saul
had finished taking over the divinely appointed role of God’s
priest, Samuel arrived in Gilgal.
No
matter how justified Saul believed himself to be, God was
unwilling to accept the lame excuses he offered for his impulsive
behavior. 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. But now your kingdom shall
not endure” (1 Samuel 13:13-14). God did not consider
Saul’s impulsive decision a neutral issue and He did
not accept his excuse for failing to obey.
Analyze
Your Status
Do
you tend to be impulsive in your decision making? Do you believe
it is insignificant to God how we make our decisions as long
as our motives are right? Saul acted to do the expedient thing,
but it still displeased God. Why? God is far more concerned
about our obedience to Him than He is about our adherence
to rituals. He prefers that we seek His permission before
we act, rather than His forgiveness after we impulsively disobey
His directives.
Neutralize
Your Obstacles
Pressure
always demonstrates the genuineness of our faith in God. When
we are squeezed or cornered by circumstances, our true nature
is revealed. Like an animal that is threatened when backed
into a corner, we strike. Listen to Saul’s defense before
Samuel, “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..., So
I forced myself and offered the burnt offering”
(1 Samuel 13:11-12).
Saul
believed the circumstances gave him the right to violate God’s
clearly stated commands. Saul made it clear he knew what Samuel
had told him; however, the urgency of the moment demanded
that He act. Impulsiveness may seem appropriate at the time
but its consequences extend far beyond the moment. Clearly
defined limitations help us guard against impulsiveness.
If
you tend to be impulsive in your decision making, ask the
Holy Spirit to help you develop a set of steps you can follow
no matter what immediate need the present circumstances may
dictate. Self-control is one of the fruits that testify we
are filled with God’s Spirit (Galations 5:22-23). God
will not withhold His blessings because we desire to keep
His way without any deviation. When we act impulsively based
on the pressures of our circumstances, we demonstrate a lack
of faith in God’s sovereignty.
Glean
God’s Promises
Sometimes
we see a clearer picture of the benefits of living by God’s
promises when we consider the price of failing to trust them.
When Saul called for the burnt offering he was not claiming
promises like the one in Psalm 37:34 which says, “Wait
for the Lord, and keep His way, and He will exalt you to inherit
the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.”
To an impulsive Saul, victory was more important than obedience.
To an obedient David, genuine victory only comes through obedience.
Expedite
Your Decision
No
price is too much to insure that our natural tendency to be
impulsive does not keep us from receiving God’s blessings.
Acting impulsively can isolate us from God’s true and
lasting victories and cause our faith to be weak and shallow.
When
we allow impulsiveness to take precedence over faith, the
consequences may not be immediately visible, but the long-term
effects will rise up to haunt us. Although Saul remained as
king over Israel for many more years, his kingdom did not
endure (1 Samuel 13:14).
