Excuses, Excuses!

Three years into Saul’s reign as king of Israel, he faced their sworn enemy, the Philistines, once again. Prince Jonathan provoked the Philistines by attacking one of their garrisons. In response, the latter marshaled their forces, 30,000 chariots, 6000 horsemen and innumerable foot soldiers, a massive army, to retaliate Jonathan’s “insolence”. King Saul’s army numbered a paltry 2000 soldiers.

The prophet Samuel had promised to come in seven days, offer the burnt and peace offerings before the two armies clashed. When Samuel had not shown up by the seventh day, Saul went ahead and performed the sacrifice and as soon as he did, the prophet appeared. The following ensued:

“And Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord .’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.”” I Samuel 13:11‭-‬12

Looking at all the facts on the ground, Saul was probably right to have panicked but that could not excuse Saul’s disobedience of prophetic instruction. Instead of repenting of what he had done, Saul gave one excuse after another for his actions.

We are like Saul in many ways. When we panic, reach our limit, think we are in an emergency situation we set the Lord’s commandments aside and do our own thing. It is a sign of a lack of trust and faith in our God. Sometimes God himself will push you to your limit to test your faith. Fire always separates pure gold from fake gold. What you do when you are in a tight spot determines how much faith you have. As Saul quickly found out, disobeying God will have disastrous consequences and no excuse will excuse us from the effects of some of the actions we take.

Whatever excuses you are dreaming of to justify your going against God’s instruction, please do not. May God provide grace! Blessings.

Love, Lady Monica