Why Did The Sure Thing Fall Through?
“And don’t worry about those donkeys…” [1 Samuel 9:20]
The job application was completed and submitted. The very same day I received a telephone call requesting an interview as soon as possible. Two short days later, the interview went so well that the interviewer scheduled a meeting with the vice president to whom I would report. This part of the process was a mere formality as they had been trying to hire someone for weeks. With all the pieces falling into place so quickly, this new job appeared to be a sure thing.
Ever had a sure thing not turn out the way it was supposed to? It seems like I have had more than my fair share of these experiences, but perhaps that says more about my perception of events than reality. However, each time the “sure thing” fell through, I discovered that God was up to “some-thing” different.
Enter Saul, a donkey-wrangler! That was his life’s work until now. His father had sent him and one of the hired hands to go on a journey to find some lost donkeys. How hard could it be to find a bunch of donkeys? After three days of searching without finding them, they were ready to give up. The hired hand then suggested they go find the prophet who lived in the next town so he could tell them where to find the lost animals.
Enter Samuel, the prophet. It just so happened that the day before, God revealed to Samuel that some guy from a distant land would show up at this exact time the next day looking for his lost donkeys. This young man was to be the first king of Israel, and Samuel was to anoint him as God’s chosen leader. The events unfolded exactly as God said.
God used lost donkeys to get Saul to the right place at the right time so that he could be anointed by Samuel as king. Saul had no idea that the thing (lost donkeys) was actually not the thing at all.
The next time your sure thing turns out to be a “no-thing,” look to see how God is using it to accomplish His plan, His purpose, in His time. Don’t miss it!
What is God up to when your “sure thing” falls through?
