REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on April 21, 2015, is provided by Pastor Jason Sato who, along with his wife Jessica and three young children, serves in Japan as an AMI missionary. Jason, a graduate of UC San Diego (BS) and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.), recently planted an English-speaking church in Tokyo.
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“Fast or Slow: Which Do You Prefer?”
2 Samuel 2:1-4 (ESV)
After this David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” And the LORD said to him, “Go up.” David said, “To which shall I go up?” And he said, “To Hebron.” [2] So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. [3] And David brought up his men who were with him, everyone with his household, and they lived in the towns of Hebron. [4] And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.
In an AT&T commercial, a group of kids is asked, “Is it better to be fast or slow?” A little girl proceeds to explain how it’s better to be fast so you can outrun a werewolf and avoid being bitten and turned into a werewolf yourself. It’s hard to disagree with that logic.
We too prefer “fast.” We want our promotions fast. We want our kids to become perfect fast. We want our dreams fast. And if we were faced with a werewolf, we also would want to run fast.
After years of waiting to become king, David should have been rearing to go. Saul had finally passed away and so now was the opportune time for David to take his rightful place. Instead we find David patiently waiting on the will of God. He asks whether he should go into Judah and if so to which city. Once there, David simply waits. It’s the men of Judah who come to him, not the other way around.
Now David is not lazily waiting for God to do everything for him. In regards to obeying God and following His will, David is very active. But in terms of securing his own future and blessings, David is surprisingly passive. David is content to move at God’s pace.
When something is important to us, we often do our best to rush God. Whether we’re looking forward to a dream job, getting married, or having good health, “wait’ is not what we want to hear.
How did David have such patience? I believe that it was through all those years on the run. In those bleak times, David had learned to trust God. Take a moment to remember God’s faithfulness to you. Is there a time when his sovereign goodness to you was on full display? How can your history with God encourage you to trust Him now?
Prayer: Father, I come to You full of trust but also full of doubts and fears. I thank You that You have proven Yourself faithful over the years. Help me to entrust myself to You and Your sovereignty. Let me not give in to fear or discouragement, but grant me great hope in Your goodness that I might follow and obey You with all that I am. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 9
Lunch Break Study
Read 1 Samuel 13:8-12 (ESV): He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. [9] So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. [10] As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him. [11] Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, [12] I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the LORD.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.”
Question to Consider
1. Why did Saul grow impatient?
2. In his impatience, what did Saul do?
3. How should Saul have sought the favor of the Lord?
Notes
1. Samuel had not come by the appointed time, the people were scattering from him, and the Philistines were preparing to attack.
2. Saul offered the burnt offering even though it was unlawful for him to do so. Saul essentially tried to take matters into his own hands.
3. Saul sought God’s favor by unlawfully offering the sacrifices. He should have sought God’s favor by obediently waiting and trusting Him.
Evening Reflection
Reflect on your day. When was your patience tested? In those moments of testing, were you tempted to sin? How can you seek the favor of the Lord in similar situations?