COLOURS OF LIFE

Kish lost his donkeys. He sent his son, Saul, and his servant to look for them. Their search took them through the mountains of Ephraim and the land of Shalisha. They passed through Shaalim and combed the land of the Benjaminites. By the time they got to Zuph, Saul thought it wise to call it a day. He figured that by this time his father would be more worried about himself and his servant than he would be about the donkeys (there were no mobile phones then).

But the servant came up with an idea; they should go and see the man of God; a seer whose prophecies were always accurate. He reckoned that Samuel would be able to reveal the whereabout of the missing donkeys.

The servant suggested they journey to the city where Samuel was. But Saul worried that they had no gift to offer the man of God; they could not go to consult him empty handed. The servant volunteered the quarter of a silver shekel in his possession, so they headed out. Saul and the servant journeyed up a hill where they came across some young women who confirmed that the man of God was in the city. People in that city were offering a sacrifice and they would wait for him to come and bless it before they sat down to eat. As the travellers approached the city, Samuel was coming towards them, headed to the high place to bless the sacrifice.

Just the day before, God had told Samuel that He was sending Israel’s future king for him to anoint. God pointed Saul out to Samuel:

“There he is, the man of whom I spoke to you. “This one shall reign over My people”.

Finding the missing donkeys was the one thing on Saul’s mind as Samuel walked towards him. He knew the prophet was key to this objective being met so he enquired of Samuel: “Please tell me where is the seer’s house?”

Samuel introduced himself as the seer. He invited Saul to eat with him in the high place and to spend the night. He promised to allow Saul leave the following day, after revealing to Saul what was in his heart.

“But as for the donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not be anxious about them, for they have been found” Samuel added.

The search for the missing donkeys had finally ended! But unknown to Saul, a destiny appointment had just begun. What started as an ordinary day turned out to be anything but ordinary in the lives of two men.

For Saul the journey began with a loss; the loss of his father’s donkeys. It continued with a quest: a quest to find the missing donkeys. The servant who accompanied him kept him focused and the young women they met encouraged them to stay the course. Different circumstances and different people played a role in bringing Saul and Samuel together.

For Samuel the journey began with a relationship with God from his childhood. To fulfil a vow she had made to God before Samuel was born, Hannah took her little son to the temple, where she left him to serve God under Eli. Samuel eventually replaced Eli as Israel’s prophet. Samuel had such a close walk with God that his prophecies were one hundred percent spot on. Samuel recognised the voice of God, when it spoke in his ear: “tomorrow about this time, I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him commander over My people Israel…”

The meeting between both would mark a turning point in the lives of Saul, Samuel and Israel. Things happened in quick succession; Saul soon found himself honoured by Samuel, amongst a select group of guests at a feast to which he did not even have an invitation. Saul and the servant spent the night at Samuel’s.

The following day Samuel anointed Saul king of Israel, told him where the missing donkeys were, what his father was up to and the events he will experience that day. Everything happened just as Samuel had said it would.

Are you a Saul; chosen for a purpose that you are not even aware of? Unusual circumstances lead you to this purpose. Or are you a Samuel, whose sensitivity to the voice of God is pertinent to the destiny of a king, a people, a nation? God may use ‘missing donkeys’ to direct you to the prophet or he may use ‘missing donkeys’ to bring the king to you. When you meet the prophet, believe the word of God He speaks, for it will certainly be fulfilled. When the king comes you must recognise him, you must tell him the purpose of God.

An adaptation of the story in 1 Samuel 9 & 10

Are you a Saul; chosen for a purpose that you are not even aware of? Unusual circumstances lead you to this purpose. Or are you a Samuel, whose sensitivity to the voice of God is pertinent to the destiny of a king, a people, a nation?

COLOURS OF LIFE SHOW

Our Colours of Life show airs on DOVE TV, DSTV channel 349. It is also available on you tube (colours of live TV). Follow us on Instagram (@coloursoflifeministry) for daily devotionals. Reach us – contact@ coloursoflife.org