Journey Thru The Bible! (1 Samuel 10 - 12)

Click on the Scripture above to read today's text!

Today, we read about two powerful personalities - Saul and Samuel. Both of these men led lives that were dynamically used by God. Why were they chosen? And, how was it that God could do such marvelous things through them?

1) God often chooses the least expected person for His work! Saul was chosen to be king because he was least likely to be chosen by his peers! By Saul's own admission, he confesses that he is the least likely person to be chosen as king! Notice what he says in 9:21 - "But I'm only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel." In that one statement, every Israelite knew what he meant! He was from the "outcast" tribe. Benjamin was the tribe that the entire Israelite army tried to wipe out due to their horrible and embarrassing sin of practicing and defending homosexuality! At this time, the tribe of Benjamin was still a joke to all Israelites. Who would have ever chosen any man from the most embarrassing tribe of Israel?

He also confesses further to Samuel in 9:21, "and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe!" Not only is Saul from the tribe that is the laughing stock of Israel, but he's from the least influential family within that tribe! Not only would Israel have never chosen any man out of the tribe of Israel, but even if they were forced into doing so, they NEVER would have chosen from the least favored family of that entire tribe!

Saul had NO WAY IN THE WORLD of becoming the King of Israel...unless God arranged it!

God wanted to show several things here:
- God can use anybody for His work and purpose!
- God often chooses "nobodys" for His greatest work!
- God chooses these types of individuals so that glory goes to Him...not to man!

If you feel like you're a "nobody", get excited! You're the type of individual God wants to work through to accomplish great and mighty things! God ignores the proud and arrogant. And, He often bypasses the most talented individuals. Why? He doesn't want to take any chance of sharing the glory with any man!

2) God wants to work miracles in and through our lives! Every time I read the story of Samuel, I'm left with a deep desire to know God in the same way Samuel did! Samuel had such an intimate relationship with God that God often felt the freedom to communicate His plans through him. As He did with Moses and Joshua, God often spoke to Samuel in great detail about things. And, one of the most remarkable aspects of today's story is how God speaks to Samuel in such minute detail about the following...

- Saul's arrival into town at a specific time!
- The safety of Saul's donkeys!
- How the next day, two men will meet Saul besides Rachel's tomb!
- How the next day, Saul with meet up with three man coming with three goats, three loaves of bread, and a bottle of wine! And, how they'll give him two loaves of bread.
- And, how on the next day, Saul will prophesy along with the prophets!

Don't you wish God would speak to you in such a way? This type of communication with God comes from spending time with God! God is interested in communicating with you! The question is, "Are you interested in spending time communicating with God and developing an intimate one-on-one relationship with Him?"

There's so much more that could be said out of today's text, but I trust this will have stirred your heart in some way. God bless, and have a wonderful day in the Lord!