Samuel Annoints Saul

Saul will go on to be recognized as King by the people – but here he is first set apart by God. God does this work through the anointing of Samuel, but also through revelation to Saul. God had a plan and calling for Saul. Circumstances and the people of Israel weren’t in control. God was, and still is today. As you read, consider what God might be doing “behind the scenes” of the world today. Where do you see Him working?

 

STUDY THE SCRIPTURE

Click here to access the reading from  1 Samuel 10:1-9

 

For more help use these Bible Study methods.

 

REFLECTION

 

A Heart Transplant

By Judy Webb

The people of Israel, once again, want their own way. They want to be ruled by a king (like all the other nations). They rejected God, as was their practice throughout the scriptures. God provided Saul, a tall, handsome young man, (read 1 Samuel 9:1-4) whom Samuel poured oil over while saying, “Has not the Lord anointed you ruler over his inheritance?”

The people demanded a King and God provided Saul and began to prepare him for the road ahead. “As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart…”(1 Samuel 10:9) This heart change was necessary so that he could rule a nation, so he could oversee the government. As the Matthew Henry commentary puts it, “A new fire was kindled in his breast, such as he had never before been acquainted with.”

To rule a kingdom, one would certainly need an extra dose of wisdom, and grace, along with knowledge and mercy. So, the idea that Saul was blessed with a new heart indicates to this writer that his former one wouldn’t do the trick. Any one of us, if given a position of power and authority would also benefit by a new heart – a heart filled to the brim with the Holy Spirit.

The theme of a need for inner transformation runs throughout Scriptures. It still does today also. When given a new task, one we don’t feel up to, we often turn to God to change us, to give us wisdom and humility. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26)

We are now on the other side of this story. We know the ending and are living in those end times. These days require each of us to seek new hearts. As we are feeling the burden to get through this season, affectionately called 2020, we turn to God in our pain and beg for this all to make sense. Our lives have been turned upside down. We try to see the good in all this. We want to make sense out our children being kept out of school. We want to understand why we can’t cry together as we mourn the loss of our family members. We question when we will be able to celebrate a wedding, or a baptism in the company of family and friends.

I pray that we can see some blessings, that there will be days we get a glimpse of God’s hand working it all out. I am certain that one day we will look back and see why things are as they are in this moment. But for now, I trust and obey and move forward one step at a time: one prayer at a time. And I cling to God’s Word and claim a new heart beating inside me.

UALC’S CAMPAIGN OF PRAYER

WEDNESDAY WISDOM – Pray for wisdom in these times as we all work toward protecting lives and consider the livelihoods of millions hurt by the economic impact.