Devotional-Chasing Asses (no, I’m not cussing. lol)

[Original devotional date: 3/14/2011]

“Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed this to Samuel: About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him leader over my people Israel; he will deliver my people from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked upon my people, for their cry has reached me. ” 1 Samuel 9:15-16. Chapter 9 of 1 Samuel highlights God’s calling and the anointing of Saul. In this chapter Saul’s father, Kish, has lost his donkeys and sends Saul and a servant to go find them. Saul and the servant set out diligently seeking the donkeys. The story later ends with an encounter with the man of God. Saul was expecting one thing, but God had something totally different in store for him.

I believe that there are several things we can glean from this passage.

(1) First, Saul is diligently about his father’s business, and while the text is referencing his natural father, not the heavenly father; that is the parallel that we, as believers can draw. Saul was being obedient; he was doing EXACTLY what he was TOLD to do, by his father!

(2)Secondly, Saul, after they had been searching for a while, suggests that they turn around (his motives/logic were good: he didn’t want his father to worry about their safety); however, the servant suggests that they seek the man of God that was in a nearby city, in an effort to receive help finding the donkeys. Saul could have easily exerted his authority over the servant, but instead chose to follow wise counsel. I think that we, as believers, should always be ready and willing to receive wise/godly counsel (no matter how ‘logical’ our own plans are), even from the ‘lowly places’.

(3)Third, once Saul’s mind was made up to seek godly counsel, he wouldn’t allow himself to be distracted. Saul was a young man and the scripture says that when they entered the town where Samuel was, they encountered some maidens. Nothing says kryptonite for a man, like a woman. But instead of being distracted, Saul had a one-track mind (still about his father’s business). They simply asked the ladies where they could find the man of God and once the ladies told them, they went on their way. When we are seeking God and the things of God we should have a one-track mind (our Father’s business). Nothing and no one should be able to distract us from our goal: GOD!

(4)Next, we learn that God’s plan always supercedes our own. When Saul and the servant encounter Samuel their goal is to seek guidance about the donkeys, but God’s plan was to use the donkeys to get Saul to the appointed place at the appointed time (v.15).

(5)Next, we learn that God knows us. He knows were we came from and what our excuses are, but He still chooses us. So, in short, “save it for Oprah”. God isn’t interested in our excuses. When Samuel told Saul that God was anointing him leader of Israel, Saul made the excuses that he was a Benjamite (least of all the tribes) and that his family was the least of all the Benjamite families (v.21). But God had already told Samuel in verse 16 that He was sending a man of the tribe of Benjamin. So, God already knew Saul’s hang-up! It’s the same with us, when God is calling us, He already knows where we’re from, our family history/dynamics, our shortfalls, our unworthiness, so it would be much more prudent for us to, instead of trying to tell God why He’s making the ‘wrong choice’, accept God’s sovereignty and infinite wisdom and submit ourselves to Him!

(6)Finally, the overall theme of this story is that God uses even the foolish things (donkeys OR asses as the text puts it) for His glory. Saul thought he was just looking for his fathers asses, but God had royalty in mind and so, while Saul was diligently seeking donkeys, God was faithfully calling him to royalty. God has far better things in store for us if we would just seek Him and submit to Him. God knows the plans He has for us (Jer. 29:11) and He is always, always moving us toward those plans, even when we think we’re only chasing asses!

Bless God and God Bless!

THE Writer’s Pen,

Angelique

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