Focus Chapters:
- 1 Samuel 9-12
Standout Verse(s):
1 Samuel 9:3-6, 14-17 NLT
One day Kish’s donkeys strayed away, and he told Saul, “Take a servant with you, and go look for the donkeys.” So Saul took one of the servants and traveled through the hill country of Ephraim, the land of Shalishah, the Shaalim area, and the entire land of Benjamin, but they couldn’t find the donkeys anywhere.
Finally, they entered the region of Zuph, and Saul said to his servant, “Let’s go home. By now my father will be more worried about us than about the donkeys!”
But the servant said, “I’ve just thought of something! There is a man of God who lives here in this town. He is held in high honor by all the people because everything he says comes true. Let’s go find him. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.”
So they entered the town, and as they passed through the gates, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the place of worship.
Now the Lord had told Samuel the previous day, “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry.”
When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said, “That’s the man I told you about! He will rule my people.”
Observation (s):
- Saul embarked on a journey to his destiny because of a simple thing. He was searching for lost donkeys.
One day Kish’s donkeys strayed away, and he told Saul, “Take a servant with you, and go look for the donkeys.” So Saul took one of the servants and traveled through the hill country of Ephraim, the land of Shalishah, the Shaalim area, and the entire land of Benjamin, but they couldn’t find the donkeys anywhere.
- At a point during his journey, Saul wanted to turn back.
Finally, they entered the region of Zuph, and Saul said to his servant, “Let’s go home. By now my father will be more worried about us than about the donkeys!”
- Saul’s servant influenced him into making a step that took him to the next stage of his journey. His servant reminded him to consult God before giving up.
But the servant said, “I’ve just thought of something! There is a man of God who lives here in this town. He is held in high honor by all the people because everything he says comes true. Let’s go find him. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.”
Application:
The journey you are on is God’s way of getting you to where you are meant to be. Saul’s search to find his father’s donkeys led him on a journey that ended with him being crowned the first king of Israel. Every decision or move he made, during that journey, led him one step closer to God’s predestined end result. Equally worthy to note is that Saul’s decisions had the power to lead him away from his destiny. He got to his predestined end result because his servant, his companion and influencer, steered him in the direction he needed to go by reminding him of the importance of consulting God for directions.
Your journey, no matter how innocuous, brings you one step closer to your destiny. Similarly, your decisions has the potential of bringing you nearer or farther from that destiny. Mind the companions (influencers) you take along with you and don’t forget to consult God. Saul’s journey ended with him as king, where will yours take you?
