Anyone who happens to be in my age bracket might recognize that title as the tag line from from a song by the inimitable Paul Simon. It reads almost like a modern-day psalm of lament, so I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re already having a bad day, but Simon makes a good point in that, although we can influence our situations, ultimately we are not in charge.
Of course, that’s not a popular thought, regardless of one’s faith-affiliation or lack thereof. We want to be in charge, desperately want it. Especially when our circumstances threaten to dissolve into further chaos around us unless we “take action”.
King Saul, the first king of Israel, was very much like that. He was told in no uncertain terms that he was to wait for Samuel, but like many of us, waiting was not his forte.
“…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. 10 Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering, Samuel arrived…”
Oops. The king had fired up the grill a little too soon.
This was just one in a series of epic fails for Saul’s leadership. Not that I can boast much better. It can just be so dang hard to be patient when what I see as “success” is so different from God see’s as success—which is, foremost, OBEDIENCE. Faithful, patient obedience, which speaks volumes of how much we trust Him for whatever outcome He determines, even if everyone else heads for the door.
In fact, that can be easily become one of the mottos in our decision-making:
Never a good way to lead, and definitely not the way of the cross. I specifically remember a time as the leader on our church worship team, when God told me to repent (great word) of leading by appeasement. Make everyone happy as much as possible. Then try to keep them that way. Good recipe for a mental health break down, let me tell ya.
Not that we shouldn’t let others share an opinion, offer suggestions, or even voice some serious concerns about potential consequences. But as one poster once asserted—“The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing!”
And the main thing is loving my Lord by trusting obedience, leaving the result of that obedience in His hands. Because as someone once said: God is rarely early, but He’s never late.
I don’t want to fire up the grill too soon before the Main Guest arrives.
1 Samuel 13:8-10 Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
INSPIRATION with an ATTITUDE 