QT 11/3/2022 1 Sam9:1-10, My resources or what …

1 Samuel 9:1–2,5-6 (ESV) —

1 There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. 2 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.

. . .

5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, let us go back, lest my father cease to care about the donkeys and become anxious about us.” 6 But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.”

 

Full Passage: 1 Sam 9:1-14 (ESV)

 

NOTE: The author (who is ultimately God) immediately establishes a number of details about Saul. He comes from a rich family. He is a handsome young man. He is physically tall, and therefore imposing. He is, in the eyes of the world, the perfect choice for a king. He would win all the popularity contests. But, compared to his servant, he is unaware of even the most important spiritual knowledge in Israel at the time -- the location of the Israel's judge and spiritual teacher. His servant is the one who knows where Samuel resides. And probably of even more importance, Saul relies on the flesh. After the search is a failure, Saul is ready to go home. The idea of praying or asking for spiritual help is not even on his mind. Granted, he was rich, so what was the loss of a few donkeys? But that exposes the problem with the rich and wealthy, they think they do not need God. Even though Job sought God, in the end, God identified his wealth as one of his problems (Job 40-41). He thought he had the power to do what he wanted, but God showed him the limitations of his power.

 

PONDER:

1. Where do I look first when I have a problem, to my own abilities and resources, or to God?
2. Do I have spiritual literacy, knowledge developed by personal study, or do I have spiritual second-hand information developed by listening to others?

 

PRAYER: Father, to truly know you and experience a true relationship with you, it cannot happen through second-hand experience. It will be surface-y and lacking the depth needed to handle life's problems. Oh, how I pray that the church would meet with you daily in your word first-hand.