When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in tombs, and in pits. Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. He stayed seven days, according to the time set by Samuel; but Samuel didn't come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. Saul said, "Bring the burnt offering to me here, and the peace offerings." He offered the burnt offering. It came to pass that as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came… 1 Samuel 13:6–10 WEB.

King Saul was desperate. The Philistines had gathered a large army, invaded Israel, and were camped nearby. The prophet Samuel had told Saul to meet him at Gilgal, and he would make offerings and get directions for the upcoming battle from the Lord.

Saul waited at Gilgal with about 2,000 men. The Philistines had brought 30,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen, and footmen like the "sand of the seashore" (1 Samuel 13:5). Saul's army was outnumbered by at least 20 to 1. Even worse, his meager troops began to scatter, and those that remained with him trembled in fear.

After Saul had waited for seven days and Samuel had not come, fear and desperation overcame him. He panicked and made the offering himself but received no directions from the Lord. Of course, as soon as Saul finished his offering, the prophet Samuel arrived. The first thing Samuel asked him was, "What have you done?" The fear of man and what men could do to him cost Saul his kingship (1 Samuel 13:13).

Too often, when the deadline begins approaching, we start sweating and panicking, asking ourselves, "What are we going to do? Where is God?" Pressure causes us to make compromises right before God arrives and turns the battle around. These things cause our impurities to rise to the surface. Who you are while under pressure is who you really are.

They say God is never late, but He also is never early. He arrives right on time. We begin to waver in our faith, usually right before God shows up. So don't give up hope yet. God's help and provision for you are closer than it ever was. When we reach the end of our rope, God will be there to catch us. However, it may feel like the very last minute.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray that You help me learn to trust in You. Please deliver me from fear and anxiety. Draw my heart to You, and give me a clear vision. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!

Note: Merry Christmas!!! We love all of you and are so grateful that you are part of our family ~ may you all have a most joyful celebration! For those who may have missed the email, our annual Christmas newsletter is now available. Also, today is Thankful Thursday at the Ministry Events group! This event gives us an opportunity encourage each other by posting thoughts, moments, and prayers of gratitude for Him, His creation and all that He does in our lives. All our welcome! To join, just click on the group name and then the join link on the page that will follow. As always, if you have a prayer need, we are here for you! We and the prayer team are ready to lift you up at our private prayer page: RHM Prayer Network.