OK. I promise that question will make sense by the end of this post. Promise!
Do you remember a guy named Saul from the Old Testament? Yes, I'm referring to King Saul. He was king over Israel until he messed up and God gave the kingship to David. Saul's story begins in 1 Samuel 9, which is where I was reading this morning.
Before Saul was a king, however, he was a nobody.
Or at least that's how he might have been described by some people in those days. He didn't come from a prestigious family. He was from the tribe of Benjamin, and even then his clan was "the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin." (1 Sam. 9:21) Saul didn't have a drop of royal blood running through his veins and yet God made him a king!
Hmm. That kinda makes me curious. You?
Well, it all begins with a bunch of lost donkeys.
Saul's daddy owned some donkeys that somehow became lost and Saul was sent to find them. He took a servant with him and set off in search of the missing beasts of burden. When they came to the town where Samuel the priest is visiting, the servant suggests they ask Samuel, also referred to as a "seer" in those days, to help them. Saul is game and locates Samuel, thinking the old priest will simply help him find the missing donkeys so he can get back home. Samuel, however, already knew Saul was coming. God told him the day before that He would send a man from the tribe of Benjamin who was to be anointed leader over Israel!
Wow. Quite a coincidence, no? The donkeys just happen to wander off. Saul just happens to go to the town where Samuel is. The servant just happens to suggest they go see Samuel about it.
I've seen coincidences before, but this story is not one of 'em. The truth of it is pretty simple:
God had a plan!
Losing ones donkeys was certainly a pain ...but God had a plan! Wandering the countryside looking for said lost donkeys wasn't any fun ...but God had a plan! In 1 Samuel 9:15 God tells Samuel, "About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin." Isn't that cool? God sent Saul. He even knew what time Saul would get to town!
Coincidence? I think not!
I find it amazingly comforting to know that when my donkeys are lost...or whatever aggravating or even painful circumstance I might be going through...God has a plan!
Are your donkeys lost? Don't worry!
God has a plan!
(P.S. Saul's donkeys were found, safe and sound. Isn't that just like God?!)
2 comments:
I find it very interesting that Saul thought he was the "least of the least" when Samuel found him, but later in life he was in an all-out control war to kill David because David was more popular. He must have kept his belief of being inferior all his life.
Hi Sally. Thanks for your insightful comment! Isn't it sad that we often let the "old" person we were overtake the "new" person we've become! May we all learn from Saul's mistakes!
Blessings,
~Michelle
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