God's Plan Is Better Than Our Strategies | 1 Samuel 10:17-27

Vince Miller Podcast

Your strategies are never as good as God's plan.

Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.

This week, we are in 1 Samuel 10. I've titled this chapter "The Appointed But Reluctant Leader."

Today, we continue the story. Samuel is going to gather the nation again at Mizpah as he did in Chapter 7 after the Ark of Covenant was recovered from the Philistines. But on this day, Samuel is going to anoint Saul, the first king of Israel, in verses 17-27:

Now Samuel called the people together to the Lord at Mizpah. And he said to the people of Israel, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’ But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said to him, ‘Set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your thousands.”

Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was taken by lot; and Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found. So they inquired again of the Lord, “Is there a man still to come?” and the Lord said, “Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.” Then they ran and took him from there. And when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen? There is none like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”

Then Samuel told the people the rights and duties of the kingship, and he wrote them in a book and laid it up before the Lord. Then Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his home. Saul also went to his home at Gibeah, and with him went men of valor whose hearts God had touched. But some worthless fellows said, “How can this man save us?” And they despised him and brought him no present. But he held his peace. — 1 Samuel 10:17-27

When they gather on this day, no one but Saul and Samuel know about God's selection of Saul as king. This was hidden from everyone. With this in mind, the people are probably a little concerned that this gathering is going to be a talk-down. And they are right. It is a talk down, but it results in them getting what they want. They will get a king.

There are three teachable moments in this text:

The Lord Is The Deliverer

The first thing Samuel does after gathering the nation is communicate a message that has come directly from God. Samuel begins with, “Thus says the Lord," which is a declaration of a divine message to God's people. Samuel understood he was only a messenger between God and his people. In this instance, Samuel's initial exhortation was the reminder that God has always been their deliverer. As we know, they have a short memory and they need this reminder.

In fact, believers in every generation have a short memory of what God has done. I know I, too, can get caught in a cycle of self-centered reasoning, forgetting what God has done in the past and how that parallels my present challenge. This is another reason why it is so important to read Scripture. It reminds us of all the things God has done that we so easily forget.

Which leads to the next point. In their forgetfulness:

The People Reject The Lord As Their Deliverer

Because they fail to remember what the Lord has done for them, they turn to a human strategy and a human representative. They want a king “like all the other nations," so they petition God to "set a king over them." The sad irony is that the people insist even though their petition is a blatant rejection of God as their King. They no longer want to be a nation under God. They want to be a nation led by their own king, a struggle we still endure to this day. The present election cycle is evidence of this yet again.

As disappointing as this is, each generation thinks it has a better plan than God does. From one generation to the next, we pedal our ideas on how companies, the church, and the country would best be led, how to structure it, how to reach lost people, how to train and disciple, how to build leaders, and the like. Every generation thinks that they have a strategy that is better than the last, and yet, most of the time, these strategies end up distracting attention from the King, who deserves the glory.

God Gives Them What They Want

In the end, God gives the people what they want. The selection process was by lots, which would, in modern terms, be selection by "rolls of sacred dice" (or two stones). But we really don't know how they did this here since Scripture is silent on the exact method Samuel used. This process probably took a while, but you will notice that in the end, the people trust the process. Samuel and Saul knew ahead of time who the lot would fall to, as do we, but the people of Israel did not. They wrongly want a king but they rightly trust the divine process (or at least most of them do).

There is a profound lesson in this text.

Sometimes, God gives us our solutions even when they are not what we need. He does this because our solutions never thwart his plan. But he will use our solutions and strategies to teach us a hard lesson about his plan and drive us back to faith in God and away from trusting our strategies.

Today, take time to consider areas in your life where you might be relying more on human solutions rather than having faith in God's guidance. Are you seeking solutions and security through career strategies, relationship plans, or financial tactics more than through God? Once you recognize these misplaced priorities, set them aside and put your faith in God, trusting in His provision and protection over your plans.

If you do, the provision and protection you get from God will be better than any provision and protection you can provide for yourself.

#GodsPlan #FaithOverStrategy #TrustInGod

Ask This:

1. How can you actively remind yourself of God's past faithfulness in times when you're tempted to rely solely on your own plans and strategies?
2. Reflecting on your current challenges, what steps can you take today to align more closely with God's plan for your life, trusting His provision and guidance over your own understanding?

Do This:

Stop leading with your strategies.

Pray This:

Father, help me remember Your faithfulness in all circumstances. Guide me to trust Your plan over my own strategies. Lead me closer to You, where true peace and fulfillment are found. Amen.

Play This:

Famous For (I Believe).