1 Samuel 9:1-14 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 1 Samuel 9:1-14. As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
1 Samuel 9:1-2 (NIV)
1 There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin.
2 He had a son named Saul, an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites–a head taller than any of the others.
On verses 1-2: Saul was naturally outstanding and outwardly impressive. But there is a difference between making an impression and making an impact. Saul certainly made a positive impression on people with his height and natural abilities. But the impact he would end up making would be a very different story.
1 Samuel 9:3-4 (NIV)
3 Now the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys.”
4 So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha, but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them.
On verses 3-4: Saul and his servant were sent on a mission by Saul’s father to look for lost donkeys. To Saul, this may have seemed like an ordinary, mundane mission, but God would end up using it to change Saul’s life. Don’t discount the day-to-day challenges God brings you. For God uses all things — even ordinary, mundane situations — to teach us things and to work out His plan for our lives (Romans 8:28, Ephesians 1:11).
1 Samuel 9:5-12 (NIV)
5 When they reached the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”
6 But the servant replied, “Look, in this town there is a man of God; he is highly respected, and everything he says comes true. Let’s go there now. Perhaps he will tell us what way to take.”
7 Saul said to his servant, “If we go, what can we give the man? The food in our sacks is gone. We have no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?”
8 The servant answered him again. “Look,” he said, “I have a quarter of a shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God so that he will tell us what way to take.”
9 (Formerly in Israel, if a man went to inquire of God, he would say, “Come, let us go to the seer,” because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.)
10 “Good,” Saul said to his servant. “Come, let’s go.” So they set out for the town where the man of God was.
11 As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some girls coming out to draw water, and they asked them, “Is the seer here?”
12 “He is,” they answered. “He’s ahead of you. Hurry now; he has just come to our town today, for the people have a sacrifice at the high place.
Verses 5-12: After searching extensively and unsuccessfully for the lost donkeys, Saul wanted to go back home, but his servant recommended that they go see the prophet Samuel for help. Little did either of them know that this decision would end up changing Saul’s life, as his meeting with Samuel would result in his anointing as king over Israel.
Just think: without this servant’s encouragement (and also without the help of some unnamed girls in verses 11-14), Saul would have never met Samuel and would have never been anointed king. Though we don’t know their names, God used the servant and the young women in a powerful way to launch Saul into his destiny.
What can we learn from this? You can’t reach your God-given destiny on your own. God made you to need others. He intentionally places people in your life to help you step into your destiny.
Who are the people God has used so far to help you to discover your calling and to step into it? Thank God for them and don’t ever take those people for granted.
1 Samuel 9:13-14 (NIV)
13 As soon as you enter the town, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not begin eating until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward, those who are invited will eat. Go up now; you should find him about this time.”
14 They went up to the town, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel, coming toward them on his way up to the high place.
On verses 13-14: If you know how Saul’s story plays out, these two verses are especially worth noting. Notice that the first lesson Saul ever learns about the prophet Samuel is that people do not begin eating until Samuel blesses the sacrifice. How well Saul will remember and apply this first lesson will be crucial to his destiny.
Some of the most important lessons God wants us to learn are very simple lessons that God teaches us early on in our lives, and our success later in life depends on how well we apply those simple lessons. I’m amazed that despite how challenging and complicated life as an adult can sometimes feel, so much boils down to simple Sunday school lessons like, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Thank You, Lord, for the people You have placed in my life, without whom I would not be here today praying to You this way. May I never take them for granted. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
Copyright © 2022 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.
