Let’s engage in an interesting thought exercise for a moment.
Take a look at your current life situation.
Think of the job you currently have…
The person you’re married to (or if you’re single)…
How much money you have in your bank account (or don’t)…
Your level of health and whether you’re overweight or in good shape…
Now what I want you to reflect on is that your present life situation obviously didn’t occur in a vacuum…
It’s the result of many accumulated choices, decisions, and actions you took over many years…
Your life is also the result of circumstances beyond your control…
Whether it was some crazy worldwide pandemic…
Or a natural disaster like an earthquake that struck the area you were living in.
Why do I bring this up?
Because the same principle applies to Saul’s unexpected ascent to the throne of Israel.
The event may have seemed like it occurred in a vacuum…
But the truth is Saul’s kingship was the result of years of unnoticed preparation…
There were many political upheavals and things that had to happen in order to pave the way for Saul’s kingship.
Ya, feel me?
All of the tribal and national decisions made by the leaders of Israel were affected by and took place within the context of the events and circumstances of the time…
EVEN WHEN the leaders had every intention of obeying God.
Factors such as the weather, natural disasters, war, poverty, prosperity, politics, and the actions of neighboring nations always played a role.
And while the Scripture writers were well aware of all these pivotal factors and circumstances, they didn’t always record them.
That’s why we sometimes gotta dig into other extra-biblical resources to get the big picture.
So here’s what we’ve got to come to grips with.
Saul may not have been the ideal man to be Israel’s first king.
But he was the BEST choice given the factors that contributed to Israel’s political situation at the moment.
What factors am I talking about?
Well, we’ll get into those details the next time we meet…and yes these things are important and crucial to understand.
But for now, let’s transition over to the takeaway.
Here’s today’s profound lesson that I want you to ponder…
As you take a good hard look at your life today, there may be many things you’re not happy about…
Or to use a different phrase, there may be many things in your life that are less than ideal.
You may not be too thrilled with your current job and the amount of money you’re making at the moment…
You may not be too excited about the apartment or home you’re dwelling in at the moment…heck, maybe you don’t even like the country you’re living in.
Or maybe you’re not too happy with the crowd you regularly hang out with (this is easily fixed by the way)...
However, consider this:
Saul was not the ideal choice for Israel at the moment…
But he was the BEST choice given the circumstances…
And couldn’t the same thing be said about your life right now?
The job you’re working at now may not be ideal…
But it may be God’s best choice for you at the moment.
The place you’re living in now may not be ideal…
But it could be God’s best choice for you at the moment (I loooove my apartment by the way).
And couldn’t the same possibly be said about the other areas of your life…
Especially if you’re not able to change those things at the moment (usually a good sign that’s where God wants you to be for the time being).
So, let’s not forget that God is sovereign…
And He may be using your current circumstances as preparation for some awesome blessings down the line sometime soon.
Ya, feel me.
So I leave you with these inspiring words from the prophet Jeremiah:
‘”‘For I know the plans
I have for you,’
declares the Lord,
‘plans to prosper you
and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope
and a future.‘”
-Jeremiah 29:11
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“And we know that all things
work together for good to
them that love God, to them
who are called according
to his purpose.”
-Romans 8:28
One of the many differences between us and God is that we can only see how things come together when we look back in time. God knows how things will come together before it happens (of course, that’s because God doesn’t have to see the future- he makes the future).
So, as you say , Rich, we can only trust that whatever condition we are in, now, is where we should be. If we don’t like it, try to change it and if that is OK with God, then it will change.
If we don’t like it, and can’t change it, well… that’s where faith, trust, and patience come into the picture.
Couldn’t have said it better myself…
Thanks for sharing brother…
Talk soon!
“But it may be God’s best choice for you at the moment.”
It is a gift to be trusting and content with one’s situation. Thank you for these reminders.
“Regardless, each one should lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is what I prescribe in all the churches. . . .Keeping God’s commandments is what counts. Each one should remain in the situation he was in when he was called.” (1 Cor. 7:17 ff)
Hey great NT reference!
I’m gonna add that to this post…
Be blessed!