Seek the Lord as to which path to take
by Glenn Crouch
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… Look, in this town there is a man of God; he is highly respected, and everything he says comes true (1 Samuel 9:6a).
Read 1 Samuel 9:1–14
In today’s reading, we are introduced to Saul, who is presented like the ideal lead for an action movie: young, tall and handsome (verse 2). Israel wanted a king, and here we certainly see someone who seems like the perfect fit for the job. That Saul obediently follows his father’s direction and sets out looking for the missing donkeys (verses 3 and 4) also bodes well. He also takes advice, as we see him do with his servant (verses 6–10).
How do you handle decision-making? Does it lead to inaction? Rather than decide, we can listen to our fears and just try to avoid the situation. Which, of course, is still a decision we have made. The action that Saul decides on is to follow his servant’s advice and seek out the man of God.
As followers of Jesus, we need to be actively following him and his words. To do that, we need to know our Bibles better. We need to seek the Lord in prayer and to listen to his Spirit. This includes following good advice, as Saul does.
For those who know the whole story of Saul, it is sad to be reminded of how well things started. It is not just in the decision-making that we need to seek the Lord. We also need to keep him in focus as we find out whether we have made good or bad decisions. We need to remain humble and dependent on our Lord. When we make poor decisions or we exclude the Lord in our decision-making, we need to return to the foot of the cross. Confess our sins and receive forgiveness. These issues will later become a problem for Saul.
Often, we will not know which choice the Lord wants us to make. So, make the most loving decision you can and seek forgiveness if you mess up. Don’t be so indecisive that you will not have breakfast until the Lord speaks to you through your daily devotion – you may get Matthew 3:4 as your reading for your next meal (look it up!).
Heavenly Father, your patience and mercy astound me. Thank you for not giving up on me. Help me make good decisions today. Bless me with good advice and grant me your discernment. May your Spirit help me love you and love my neighbour. Amen.
Glenn is the pastor of St John’s Lutheran Church in Esperance and looks after St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Kalgoorlie–Boulder, Western Australia. Glenn and Karen have been married since 1985. They have two grown sons and are enjoying regular video chats with their first grandchild.
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