Scripture:

“Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said,

“Has not the Lord anointed you to be prince over his people Israel? And you shall reign over the people of the Lord and you will save them from the hand of their surrounding enemies. And this shall be the sign to you that the Lord has anointed you to be prince over his heritage. When you depart from me today, you will meet two men by Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah, and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys that you went to seek are found, and now your father has ceased to care about the donkeys and is anxious about you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?”’ Then you shall go on from there farther and come to the oak of Tabor. Three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine.  And they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall accept from their hand.  After that you shall come to Gibeath-elohim, where there is a garrison of the Philistines. And there, as soon as you come to the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre before them, prophesying.  Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. Now when these signs meet you, do what your hand finds to do, for God is with you.  Then go down before me to Gilgal. And behold, I am coming down to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, until I come to you and show you what you shall do.”

When he turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart. And all these signs came to pass that day. 1 Samuel 10:1-9 (ESV)

Perspective:

Samuel, the prophet in Israel, was to anoint a new king in Israel. However, Samuel didn’t have to go find him; Saul literally showed up on his doorstep. Saul was with his servant, searching for his father’s lost donkeys. They had heard that Samuel was a prophet and thought that he may be able to help them find the lost animals. God directed Saul to Samuel, and Samuel obeyed God by anointing him as the next king. In anointing Saul, Samuel had a word for him. There were specific people whom he would meet and others who would supply his needs. As Saul heard these words, he may have been surprised at the specificity of Samuel’s instructions. As he was walking along the road that day, it happened just as Samuel had said. Three men carrying three young goats and three loaves of bread met Saul on the road. He saw their provisions, and as they offered to give him two loaves, Saul remembered the instructions. He accepted and continued on his journey. Then, he encountered the prophets on the road, and Saul encountered the Lord in such a way that he was changed. As Saul walked in obedience, he met people who helped meet his physical needs and spiritual needs. If Saul had stayed with Samuel, he would have missed God’s providence at work in his life. God was orchestrating the right people to intersect with Saul at the exact time. While the first instance may have seemed like coincidence, the continual provision showed that God was directing Saul into this new season of his life. 

 

Taking a leap of faith is not always easy. Transitioning between seasons of life can cause us to wonder if God is there. However, when God is directing our lives, nothing is coincidental. The timing of events in our lives may seem like it “just so happened” all the while God was setting the stage. Saul had no idea how his life would change when they decided to go see Samuel about their lost donkeys, but God did. Like Saul, God is able to prompt us to make that phone call, connect with someone, or journey somewhere at just the right time. God’s fingerprints over our situations and lives gives us insight into how He works. He doesn’t leave us on our own; He is always working to confirm His direction in our lives. You may be in the middle of a situation where God has directed you, but you are doubting His direction. If He led you there, there is purpose in your place. While we can’t always connect the dots while we live our stories, God gives us moments, like Saul, where we can undeniably recognize His provision and direction in our lives. Let those moments encourage your heart, even when you have difficulty discerning how God is working today. Keep walking.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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About Hona Amer

I help people live life to the fullest. Check out my book, Smart Work U. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. In order to receive updates, subscribe below.

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