“And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.” 1 Samuel 9:2
March 5, 2024
Israel wanted a king like the other nations. She had a king but not like in character the one she wanted. That king was God Himself. Her human king came from a wealthy family, was tall and handsome. As the story unfolds Saul was anointed as Israel’s king, but the early signs were not good. He showed little, if any, interest in God’s law and was next to empty on spiritual zeal for the Lord. However, in the story, as told in 1 Samuel, the hero is not Saul, nor is it even Samuel who anointed Saul. God was the chief character. All through the search for a king, the initial hopes and early warning signs, we can see God working in spite of His rejection, the “finding” (repeated often in chapters 9 and 10) process, and the disappointing performance of Saul. We would do well to pay attention to God’s working in all the details of life, day by day accomplishing His purposes. We meet God more than we realize in the difficult and complicated circumstances of our own daily living. God’s mercy, patience, and guiding hand is the story behind all the stories of our lives.
H
I am indebted to the pastor of our church, R.J. Krystowiak, for setting God before us in the sermon he preached on this past Sunday, “A Sad Beginning to a Troubled Reign,” 1 Samuel 9-10.