I Samuel 10:24 And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.
“Random.” That is a popular word these days. My children often use the word “random.” They might say, “Oh, that was random,” meaning, “that was out of left field;” or “that was accidental.” I don’t know what the actual etymology of the word is. Maybe it is mathematical.
Sometimes life feels just that way. It feels random. It feels as if there is no purpose or reason. It feels like we are just chasing things day by day. It is good to remember that sometimes God is leading when we think we are pursuing. That is to say, there is a God and He is active in the world today. He is active in your life whether you see Him or not, whether you know it or not.
Years ago, God decided to make Saul the king. This was not God’s original design. However, even though this was not the best thing that Israel had asked for, God chose to grant Israel’s request for a king. He made Saul king.
Saul was just a common person. We find Saul originally at his father’s house. His father had lost a couple of donkeys, so Saul went to find them. Saul chased these donkeys all over the country for a few days. Finally, one who was helping Saul said, “Let’s go to the man of God, this seer. He will know where your donkeys are.” It is only later that the Bible reveals to us that this seer is Samuel himself.
When they finally find Samuel, Samuel is going up to a feast before the Lord. I Samuel 9:20 says, “And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind of them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father’s house?” Samuel was saying, “Look, you are worried about some small thing like chasing donkeys, and this story is not about chasing donkeys, whether you know it or not. This story is about your being anointed king of Israel.”
Nothing could have been further from Saul’s mind. It turns out that the feast that Samuel was going to had been appointed by God on the occasion of anointing Saul to be the king. Samuel says to Saul, “For unto this time hath it [a portion of the meal] been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people.” Verse 27 says, “And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us…but stand thou still a while, that I may show thee the word of God.”
God’s words were that Saul was to be anointed king. In other words, all the things that had happened, the donkeys being lost and chased and looking for the seer, were not accidental. They were a matter of God’s providence, His providing ahead of time. God is the ultimate seer. He could see what Saul could never have dreamed.
So, there was a place, a time, and a man that God had lined up. As to the place, I Samuel 9:12 says, “He came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place.” That is what Saul was told. He knew there was a seer that was going to have this sacrifice. He just didn’t know it was all about his being anointed. As to the time, verse 13 says “For about this time ye shall find him.” Saul would find Samuel. As to the man himself, verse 14 says, “Samuel came out against them.” God had lined all these things up ahead of time, the place, the time, and the man Samuel.
Later, when Saul returns home, his uncle asks, “Hey, how did it go? Where were you?” Saul says, “Oh, we were out chasing donkeys and we asked Samuel to find out where the donkeys were.” Saul’s uncle replied, “Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you.” And Saul said to him, “He told us plainly that the asses were found.” “But,” verse 16 continues, “Of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.” Like Saul himself earlier, Saul’s uncle thought that the whole story was about finding donkeys when it was about Saul finding what God had assigned for him to do.
Today, you may feel like you are chasing donkeys, like life is random. You may feel like things are out of your control. Know that beyond and above all this is a God Who sometimes is leading when we think we are pursuing. So, be aware of God, be obedient to God, do your duty in the small things of life, and God will give you guidance.