From the ordinary, to the remarkable, to the sadly spoiled by fear

By Dean Collins

I’ve often felt like hiding in the baggage. What about you?

All through the Bible we read stories of people just like us called by God to specific tasks and missions. And when he calls them, he gives them whatever they need to accomplish the mission. Some in Scripture respond in faith and follow where God leads them. Some cower in fear. Some do both or follow for awhile and then choose to go back to doing their own thing, trusting their old self, and believing they know better or more than God.

God may have called you while you were doing mundane things. Saul was simply doing what his dad told him to do. Finding lost donkeys isn’t front page news. Saul took one of his buddies and headed out on an ordinary mission on an ordinary day. We don’t know what Saul would have been doing had the donkeys not run off, but it was probably just his normal routine.

God in the ordinary

One thing we know from this story is that God can and does show up in the middle of the ordinary. Maybe the first lesson is to be aware that God is always nearby when we are going through our normal tasks and doing whatever your parent, your child, your employer, or a friend has asked from you.

God of surprises

The second thing we learn from this dramatic story is that when God writes the narrative, you might experience what you never imagined would happen to you. Saul went to Samuel to get his assistance on the whereabouts of some lost donkeys, but he ended up having dinner as the special guest of Samuel and was honored in front of strangers.

When God gets involved in our narrative, our story might change from routine to unbelievable. Neither Saul nor his friends and family could have ever imagined Saul as the guest of honor at the table of Samuel, and they certainly never considered he would dance and prophecy with the prophets.

God who provides

The third thing we learn is that when God calls us to a task, we must trust him and not be fearful. Otherwise, like Saul we might find a place to hide in fear of the assignment, the risks, and the responsibilities. Sadly, Saul’s fears and insecurities resulted in a life where he was tormented by what might have been. Throughout his reign as king, his successes were often forgotten because of his obsessive jealousy of David.

When God calls us, we must never allow our fears, our pride, and our jealousy to interfere with the story God wants to write in us and through us. There is so much joy and satisfaction we may miss if we become obstinate or fearful. If God calls us to a task we can step boldly into the future, knowing he is with us and will provide for us. When difficulties come, we can be sure God will not abandon us. When God raises up another, we must humbly step aside. God’s ways and plans are always right. Our obedience will always result in God’s glory.

Your time with God’s Word
‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭10:2, 7, 9, 21-27‬ ‭ESV

Photo by Aleksandr Neplokhov from Pexels

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