Chasing donkeys

28. May 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

Today in our text, we get introduced to how Israel will get its first King in the monarchy.  We finally made it to our study.  For those of you that are just joining us, we are beginning a study on the life of the three kings which made up the monarchy, which are Saul, David, and Solomon.   Today, we find out some things about Israel’s first king.   Let’s read our story:

 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. 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. 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.

I love this text.  This young man by the name of Saul was sent out on a journey to find some lost donkeys and he had no idea that he would encounter his purpose and destiny in life through this “menial” task.   Throughout the twenty plus years that I have been ministering and counseling people, I often hear people complain that in the current situation that they are in and with what they are doing, there is no way they feel like they will accomplish and get to the dreams that they feel God has placed in their heart. 

I tell them that God knows where you are and what you are doing and wherever you are planted for this season, just be faithful, do your best, be the best wherever you are and glorify God in your work because you never know when you will meet that person that will open the door that you have so desperately been waiting to walk through and they can find you anywhere.   God is just that big.  So often, people think that they have to be in certain places and certain situations to find success and they stressed out because those doors don’t seem to be opening for them.   Be faithful and keep growing and perfecting your skill and gift wherever you are and God will in due season bring about his promise for your life.    Above all else, keep dreaming.

Saul was obeying his father and yes, some people could argue and say that this was a servant’s job and why was the eldest son sent out to find some lost donkeys.    Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin which was the smallest tribe and considered to be the less insignificant and to make matters worst, Saul’s family was from the smallest tribe of the Benjaminites which was even worst.    But God..    I just have to stop here and say But God again.     God has a way of raising up people who are counted as nothing or un-noticed, or insignificant, or not relevant and God just makes them shine and uses them mightily and it is usually among the ones who thought they would never amount to anything.

So the text says that after Saul and his servant had no luck finding the lost donkeys, they were getting ready to turn and go back home in fear that the father would start worrying about them, but the servant had an idea.   The idea was let’s go see the man of God and maybe he can tell us our way.

Tomorrow, we will see what happens when they encounter the man of God.

Stay encouraged and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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