Embracing Divine Guidance Each Day | 1 Samuel 9:18-24

Are you recognizing God's providential guidance in the circumstances of life?

Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.

This week, we are in 1 Samuel 9. I've titled this chapter "Guided By God."

Today, we pick up at the point of the story where Saul and his servant are out looking for their father's lost donkeys and decide to see the prophet Samuel to get some help finding them. And now the two men meet. Our text picks up in 1 Samuel 9:18-24, which reads:

Then Saul approached Samuel in the gate and said, “Tell me where is the house of the seer?” Samuel answered Saul, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for today you shall eat with me, and in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is on your mind. As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's house?” Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”

Then Samuel took Saul and his young man and brought them into the hall and gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited, who were about thirty persons. And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Put it aside.’” So the cook took up the leg and what was on it and set them before Saul. And Samuel said, “See, what was kept is set before you. Eat, because it was kept for you until the hour appointed, that you might eat with the guests.” So Saul ate with Samuel that day. — 1 Samuel 9:18-24

Did you notice all the little divine moments in this text?

The timing of the initial meeting. As ordained by God, God led Saul to Samuel, the man he was to anoint the first prince of his people. The resolution of the lost donkeys. As ordained by God, the lost donkeys of Kish have been found as prophecied by Samuel. The preparation of the great banquet. As ordained by God, Saul shows up at just the right time. Remember, he is out of bread as he has been on a multi-day quest only to find that on the eve of this day, he would enjoy a great feast as the guest of honor for whom the best portion of the meal was preplanned. The revelation of Saul's lifelong calling. As ordained by God, Saul would discover that he would transition from a popper to a prince.

All the issues in the story get resolved suddenly: God's selection of the first king, Kish's lost donkeys, Saul and his servant's need for food, and the remarkable discovery of Saul's lifelong calling.

When I seek God's guidance, I always look for how God will resolve issues in a way that only he can. Nothing happened here that Samuel or Saul made happen, yet none of what happened was happenstance. Both were simply obedient men who took simple steps of faith. Yet in the middle of nowhere land, a farm boy from a nowhere town would be appointed the first king over God's people, one of the great leadership roles in the nation of Israel.

God still works like this. He does things like this all the time in my life, and he does stuff like this in your life, too. You need to start seeing them, giving recognition to them, and stopping dismissing them as happenstance and coincidental. If you do, the next time you are in one of those moments where you are lost and desperate for his direction, you will become less irritated by the need for regular obedience and mundane activities and see God's providential, not circumstantial work.

#DivineGuidance, #RecognizingGodsHand, #TrustingProvidence

Ask This: How can we become more aware of God's providential guidance in our daily lives, especially during challenging or uncertain times? What practical steps can we take to trust God's timing and direction rather than rely solely on our own understanding or efforts when making decisions and navigating life's uncertainties? Do This:

Start seeing and learning God's guidance and providence.

Pray This:

Father, open my eyes to recognize Your providential guidance in every circumstance and strengthen my faith to trust Your perfect timing and plans for my life. Amen.

Play This:

Peace Be Still.