1 Samuel 9:12-16: a reflection

12They answered them and said, “He is. Behold, he is before you. Hurry now, for he has come today into the city; for the people have a sacrifice today in the high place. 13As soon as you have come into the city, you will immediately find him before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he comes, because he blesses the sacrifice. Afterwards those who are invited eat. Now therefore go up; for at this time you will find him.” 14They went up to the city. As they came within the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them to go up to the high place. 15Now the LORD had revealed to Samuel a day before Saul came, saying, 16“Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He will save my people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon my people, because their cry has come to me.”

Saul is out searching for his father's lost donkeys, and comes to the town where Samuel is; and their meeting, which will change Israel's history, has been quietly arranged by God. The day before, God had told Samuel: tomorrow I will send you a man from Benjamin, and you shall anoint him prince over my people. Behind Saul's ordinary errand, God was at work, bringing him to the right place at the right time to meet the prophet who would anoint him. And God's reason is tender: I have looked on my people, for their cry has come to me.

Notice the hidden providence at work. Saul thought he was merely searching for lost donkeys; but God was guiding his steps to a divinely appointed meeting, arranged the day before. Behind the ordinary errand, God was quietly working out his purpose, bringing Saul to Samuel at just the right moment. And behind it all was God's responsiveness to his people's need: their cry had come to him, and he was acting, through ordinary events, to answer it.

That hidden providence is at work in our lives too, often behind the most ordinary events. We go about our ordinary errands, unaware that God may be guiding our steps, arranging meetings, working out his purposes through the seemingly random events of our days. Saul was looking for donkeys; God was leading him to his calling. Do not assume that the ordinary events of your life are merely random; God may be at work in them, quietly arranging, guiding your steps toward purposes you cannot yet see. Trust that God is at work behind the ordinary, as he was behind Saul's search, arranging things according to his purpose, and responsive to his people's cry. The God who arranged Saul's meeting with Samuel through a search for lost donkeys is at work in the ordinary events of your life too; trust his hidden providence, even when you cannot see it.

Lord, Saul was merely searching for lost donkeys when he came to Samuel; but their meeting, which would change Israel's history, had been quietly arranged by you the day before, and behind it was your tender reason: I have looked on my people, for their cry has come to me. Help me trust that same hidden providence in my life. I go about my ordinary errands, unaware that you may be guiding my steps, arranging meetings, working out your purposes through the seemingly random events of my days. Saul was looking for donkeys; you were leading him to his calling. Keep me from assuming that the ordinary events of my life are merely random; you may be at work in them, quietly arranging, guiding my steps toward purposes I cannot yet see. Help me trust that you are at work behind the ordinary, as you were behind Saul's search, arranging things according to your purpose, and responsive to your people's cry. You, who arranged Saul's meeting with Samuel through a search for lost donkeys, are at work in the ordinary events of my life too; help me trust your hidden providence, even when I cannot see it, Lord.