I Samuel 10

I am back! The Internet is up and running in the new house. I planned to go back where I left of and blog about Joshua 11, and I will. But today I was reading in I Samuel and came across a story that has always struck a cord with me. So I'm blogging about that today.

The chapter begins with Samuel anointing Saul as the prince of Israel. Then Samuel gives him a list of signs that he will experience as he heads home to his father. He will be offered two loaves of bread and he will prophesy with prophets. Then he is tells him to wait seven days and they will sacrifice offerings together.

In The Message verse 9 goes like this "Saul turned and left Samuel. At that very moment God transformed him-made him a new person! And all the confirming signs took place the same day." I love that! I love that he was transformed at that very moment. That is how it is when we except Christ as our Savior. We are transformed. It doesn't mean we become perfect or all the problems disappear.

Saul goes on and prophesies with the prophets and people are like "what's going on here?" These people knew Saul and were surprised by this and wondered how it happened. Just like us when we begin to show the changes that God has done in us. People will be shocked by the positive, godly changes they see in us.

Then Samuel shows up and goes through the men of Israel to get to the Benjaminites, and then Saul's family and finally Saul, but....where is Saul. He is hiding in the stuff! Here's the part of the story that I love because I totally relate. God anointed Saul prince of Israel, transformed his life, made promises, and even gave him a date when he'd bring it to pass, and Saul is scared. He hides.

God has transformed me, made promises to me, and I go and hide. I start to listen to those people "who is this? what does she think she's doing?" I listen to the fear. I focus on everything but what God has done and what He has promised. I don't love this story because it gives me an excuse to be like Saul, but I like it because it reminds that even the anointed king hid from what God had for him.

The story goes on to say that they found him and brought him to Samuel who anointed him king of Israel. I don't want to have someone come get me from the stuff, but it's also nice to know that God will send others to help me out, out of the stuff I hid myself in.