I Samuel 13:7
“Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear.”
Very early in king Saul’s rule, he went to war against the philistines. As the enemy began to amass their forces, the Israelis began to get fearful. So much so they began to flee.
Sometimes the circumstances of life are so challenging that we have extreme responses. The soldiers were quaking with fear. They opposed a large army that was armed with the latest equipment (three thousand chariots). This increased the enemy’s speed of attack and height advantage. It was like farmers armed with pitchforks fighting a modern army.
Their fear was so great that they left the region, as did their leader. Our responses can be so strong that we can’t tolerate them. We have to flee the setting. If we don’t flee we are overwhelmed and freeze.
They started something and were horrified by the response. It’s as if they had awakened a sleeping bear. They had felt confident at the outset, but when they saw the philistine army assemble, they knew they were in trouble.
Part of this is a life lesson. We can be unaware of things we think we can handle. Once in the middle we realize we aren’t ready. We want to run. This doesn’t mean we are cowardly, but unaware. Some times the smart response is to make a truce. Jesus talked about the nation knowing they couldn’t win so they sent delegates to make peace (Luke 14:31).
Many movies have been made in which a normal person is caught opposing someone who thrives off and is good at the dark side. It’s clear that the person is out of their league. Often desperate actions are taken. This reminds me of college professors presenting difficult dilemmas to their students. They are forced to respond to these very difficult situations to get a grade. They are tricking them to make responses which violate their values.
How does the godly individual deal with this? We need to rely upon the Lord and get good council. Don’t behave hastily. Back off and wait. Psalm 40:1 says, “A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; He inclined to me and heard my cry.” This can take courage. Sometimes circumstances are already in motion. To stop them can make many upset.
The psalm says that He “heard my cry”. That isn’t a calm request. He’s desperate. Some times we are panicked and are under great stress. Matthew 14:30 has Peter crying out to the Lord when he was sinking on the sea. He said, “Lord, save me.” There is no time for a long eloquent prayer.
The Lord hears these prayers. The answer can be different than expected, but He hears. If we’ve gotten ourselves in an embarrassing situation, then that emotion will be present. The Lord will not let us stay there. Psalm 25:3 says, “Also let none waiting on Thee be ashamed, Let the treacherous dealers without cause be ashamed.” This doesn’t mean we will never experience shame, particularly if it was our foolishness that prompted it. He makes a restorative path.
It’s easy to make promises to the Lord in rough spots. It’s the one who fears the Lord that adheres to the His Words. He will be faithful and put us back on a good path. It’s a temptation to go back to our own ways. He understands. That’s a good prayer, “Lord, help me to be patient and willing to go Your way.”
Lord, thank You that You are with us even when we are over our heads. Help us to seek You at all times and to be open to Your remedies.