The Hardest Gap
The hardest gap is the time in between God saying something would happen and the time it actually happens. This week, we will examine two stories from Scripture that illustrate how God uses time both to draw out what needs to be revealed in us and to cultivate within us what must mature.
The first is a story about Saul. The second is about David. Let’s go!
“Some of them crossed the Jordan River and escaped into the land of Gad and Gilead. Meanwhile, Saul stayed at Gilgal, and his men were trembling with fear. Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn’t come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away. So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself. Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and welcome him, 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. 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.” “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. 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.”” – 1 Samuel 13:7-14 NLT
Saul gets impatient, and it costs him greatly. He operated out of fear and not faith and lost the priority order. Waiting reveals a lot in us. It has the ability to grow our faith if we let it; and unfortunately, it has the ability to reveal our lack of maturity. Either way, time is God’s greatest test.
Patience requires more faith than moving.
It took me a while to accept this one. The main reason is that I like to move! Regardless, it is true that it is harder to wait than to move. Saul simply couldn’t wait; and in his impatience, he took matters in his own hands. Another example of this in Scripture is Abraham and Sarah waiting on God for Isaac. Eventually they became tired of waiting for God and figured out a way to get a child another way. That choice has caused pain for the Jewish people for generations since.
It’s hard to wait, but it builds our faith when we do it. In a culture that doesn’t have to wait on anything, we must flex this spiritual muscle if we are mature in Christ. Waiting = growing.
“But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” – James 1:4 NKJV
Saul feared man more than he honored God’s instruction.
Saul’s greatest weakness was the desire for approval from those he led. He was an example of an insecure leader. Listen, we all want to be affirmed; but when we don’t get our affirmation from the right places, we will begin to look to the wrong place for that affirmation. The men were getting more and more fearful by the day and Saul felt the need to save the day, to be the hero, and to rally the troops.
Hear me. Great leaders obey. They obey what God has said. They hold it close, silence the noise, and listen for the still, small voice of God. If we aren’t careful, we will become so connected to all the voices available that we will lose connection to the only voice that does matter. The only way to get a healthy fear of God is to spend time with Him. As we prioritize His voice, the others tend to matter in correct priority.
Saul was always fixated on the enemy; David was fixated on God’s heart.
I have never really seen it this way; but throughout Saul’s life, we see him trembling in fear over the enemies of Israel many times. In contrast, we see David fixated and pursuing the heart of God. What are you pursuing? Is it success, to make a name for yourself, to prove something? Saul failed because that was his pursuit. Saul viewed God as something to use to get success. David viewed God as the one to pursue; and in turn, God made David successful.
The hardest gap to bridge is the one between what God promises and its fulfillment. The funny thing is that people talk about being a visionary leader all the time; and yet, the definition of having vision is seeing ahead. But what do you do when you see ahead? Do you make it happen or can you wait on God? That’s the greatest gap. He will do it in His timing, and our job is to wait and still believe.
Look out later this week for part two.
The first is a story about Saul. The second is about David. Let’s go!
“Some of them crossed the Jordan River and escaped into the land of Gad and Gilead. Meanwhile, Saul stayed at Gilgal, and his men were trembling with fear. Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn’t come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away. So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself. Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and welcome him, 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. 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.” “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. 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.”” – 1 Samuel 13:7-14 NLT
Saul gets impatient, and it costs him greatly. He operated out of fear and not faith and lost the priority order. Waiting reveals a lot in us. It has the ability to grow our faith if we let it; and unfortunately, it has the ability to reveal our lack of maturity. Either way, time is God’s greatest test.
Patience requires more faith than moving.
It took me a while to accept this one. The main reason is that I like to move! Regardless, it is true that it is harder to wait than to move. Saul simply couldn’t wait; and in his impatience, he took matters in his own hands. Another example of this in Scripture is Abraham and Sarah waiting on God for Isaac. Eventually they became tired of waiting for God and figured out a way to get a child another way. That choice has caused pain for the Jewish people for generations since.
It’s hard to wait, but it builds our faith when we do it. In a culture that doesn’t have to wait on anything, we must flex this spiritual muscle if we are mature in Christ. Waiting = growing.
“But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” – James 1:4 NKJV
Saul feared man more than he honored God’s instruction.
Saul’s greatest weakness was the desire for approval from those he led. He was an example of an insecure leader. Listen, we all want to be affirmed; but when we don’t get our affirmation from the right places, we will begin to look to the wrong place for that affirmation. The men were getting more and more fearful by the day and Saul felt the need to save the day, to be the hero, and to rally the troops.
Hear me. Great leaders obey. They obey what God has said. They hold it close, silence the noise, and listen for the still, small voice of God. If we aren’t careful, we will become so connected to all the voices available that we will lose connection to the only voice that does matter. The only way to get a healthy fear of God is to spend time with Him. As we prioritize His voice, the others tend to matter in correct priority.
Saul was always fixated on the enemy; David was fixated on God’s heart.
I have never really seen it this way; but throughout Saul’s life, we see him trembling in fear over the enemies of Israel many times. In contrast, we see David fixated and pursuing the heart of God. What are you pursuing? Is it success, to make a name for yourself, to prove something? Saul failed because that was his pursuit. Saul viewed God as something to use to get success. David viewed God as the one to pursue; and in turn, God made David successful.
The hardest gap to bridge is the one between what God promises and its fulfillment. The funny thing is that people talk about being a visionary leader all the time; and yet, the definition of having vision is seeing ahead. But what do you do when you see ahead? Do you make it happen or can you wait on God? That’s the greatest gap. He will do it in His timing, and our job is to wait and still believe.
Look out later this week for part two.
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