February 21, 2024

I’m trying to stick to one chapter a day, but just when it starts getting good, it cuts off to the next chapter. It’s getting close to the time that Samuel appoints Saul as king, but the Bible details what happened leading up to that point. Saul’s dad had some donkeys run away and sent him and a servant to find them. They desperately looked for them without success for three days. Saul remembered that there was a seer or prophet in the nearby town, so they decided to consult him, but they didn’t have anything to offer him because they had eaten all the bread. However, the servant had some silver, so they went to find him. Samuel had been told by God the day before that they would be showing up the next day to make Saul captain over his people. Samuel wanted him to stay overnight and have supper with him and some friends, so he eased his mind about the donkeys and told him they had been found. Samuel gave him the shoulder of the meat, most likely as a symbol of Saul shouldering the weight of the people of Israel. The next day, Samuel had Saul send his servant back home so he could tell him what God had said. 

What’s the lesson? When God has a plan, he will carry it out to completion. He will use whatever means necessary to put that plan into action. Look at Saul’s desperation over the donkeys; it shows that our stress can set us on the path toward God’s destiny for us. Hang in there when things get tough; it’s all a part of God’s plan!

And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day. 1 Samuel 9:24