Unceasing

1 Samuel  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  23:59
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The story of God’s people marches on. They’ve been led by judges; they’re protected, guided by the Lord. And now (here in 1 Samuel) we come to the point in Israel’s history when they get a king.
They’ve asked for king, rather foolishly and sinfully, but they’ve asked for it all the same. They reject the Lord’s kingship in favor of an earthly king, but, hey, they want it...
1 Samuel 8:5 (NIV)
5 They said to [Samuel], “... appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”
And the Lord acquiesced to their request:
1 Samuel 8:22 (NIV)
22 The Lord answered [Samuel], “Listen to them and give them a king.”
If we were reading this book for the first time and entirely unfamiliar with the story of Israel, we’d probably expect the next chapter in the saga of God’s people to be about finding a king.
But, as we turn the page, the story seems to be, well…not that exactly. At first blush, it appears to be about a family who has lost some donkeys, searching for the donkeys, finding the donkeys (or, actually, being told that the lost donkeys have been found).
If you’re reading in an older translation of the Bible, your reading will be a little more PG. They, uh, don’t use the word “donkey”.
So we’re expecting a story about a king, and instead we get one about missing livestock.
If I had a nickel for every time one of my friends said, “The cattle got out again,” I’d have an extra $200-$300 to my name. I grew up with it and hear it some still today.
Substitute “cattle” for “goats” or “horses” or “chickens” or whatever fits your situation. It happens. Fairly common.
For us townsfolk, we have stories about pets getting loose; dogs and cats running off, birds flying away. Here’s a video of one of my friends:
[Play video]
“There’s no time! He can fly!”
It’s a fairly regular occurence, I’d say, even in the Ancient Near East; even in Bible times, sheep wandered, donkeys were lost, cattle and camels went missing.
This is the common stuff of life, then and now.
We’re expecting the story of Israel’s king, and even though we’re introduced to him, the story that follows isn’t what we expect.
Turn with me to 1 Samuel 9. Take the note-card you found in the pew and use it to cover up verses 15-17. And then read along with me.
1 Samuel 9:1–14 NIV
1 There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. 2 Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else. 3 Now the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys.” 4 So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha, but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them. 5 When they reached the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us.” 6 But the servant replied, “Look, in this town there is a man of God; he is highly respected, and everything he says comes true. Let’s go there now. Perhaps he will tell us what way to take.” 7 Saul said to his servant, “If we go, what can we give the man? The food in our sacks is gone. We have no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?” 8 The servant answered him again. “Look,” he said, “I have a quarter of a shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God so that he will tell us what way to take.” 9 (Formerly in Israel, if someone went to inquire of God, they would say, “Come, let us go to the seer,” because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.) 10 “Good,” Saul said to his servant. “Come, let’s go.” So they set out for the town where the man of God was. 11 As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water, and they asked them, “Is the seer here?” 12 “He is,” they answered. “He’s ahead of you. Hurry now; he has just come to our town today, for the people have a sacrifice at the high place. 13 As soon as you enter the town, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not begin eating until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward, those who are invited will eat. Go up now; you should find him about this time.” 14 They went up to the town, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel, coming toward them on his way up to the high place.
1 Samuel 9:18–21 NIV
18 Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?” 19 “I am the seer,” Samuel replied. “Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you are to eat with me, and in the morning I will send you on your way and will tell you all that is in your heart. 20 As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and your whole family line?” 21 Saul answered, “But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?”
Now that’s not the story we expect, is it? Lost donkeys, a search for the donkeys, followed by the search for a seer (a prophet who could tell them where the donkeys were) finding, not the donkeys but the seer who says the donkeys had been found.
What is this story doing in the Bible? It seems maybe a waste of parchment; use the scroll space to write down something more applicable.
The value of reading through stories like this is that we see the providence of God.
“Providence is the unceasing activity of the Creator whereby, in overflowing bounty and goodwill, He upholds His creatures in ordered existence, guides and governs all events, circumstances, and free acts of angels and men, and directs everything to its appointed goal, for His own glory.” - J.I. Packer
Let’s read the verses we covered up and see what we see. Let’s see if we can see the providential work of God here:
1 Samuel 9:15–17 NIV
15 Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed this to Samuel: 16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked on my people, for their cry has reached me.” 17 When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him, “This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.”
This changes things, doesn’t it? This is no longer just a story about lost donkeys, not with this information. These verses, these important details—easily covered up by a note card—alter the entire meaning and significance of the story.
This is the outworking of the providential hand of God.
“Providence”—that wonderful, strange, mysterious, unguessable way the Lord Yahweh has of ruling His world and sustaining His people, and His doing it frequently, over, under, around, through, or in spite of the most common stuff of our lives.

The Lord is Unceasingly Active in the Common Stuff of our Lives.

I want to challenge you to think about the events of your life in a similar way.
Here was the common stuff: searching for that which was lost. Asking people if they’d seen a drove of donkeys anywhere. Traveling around the countryside, eyes peeled. Deciding to give up. Asking for help.
Behind all of this, and working through every bit of it, the will and the hand of God guiding this man—unknowingly—along a path.
It seems so casual. But verses 15-17 reveal its formality. It’s not just another slate of random events. It was planned. This is God’s doing. Providence.
The unceasing activity of the Creator; the upholding, the guiding, the governing, the directing of all things to their appointed goal. This is what we see here.
It’s not happenstance. It’s not coincidence. This is not another instance of “Well, that worked out! Whew! Good.”
This is the unceasing activity of the Lord Yahweh.
The author of the book lets us in on the secret—sometimes it helps to be in on the secret, doesn’t it?— “Now the day before Saul came, the Lord revealed this to Samuel. ‘About this time tomorrow, I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin…”
This was all God’s idea: the lost donkeys, the journey around the tri-county area, Saul bumping into Samuel.
The Lord let Samuel know a day before this was going to happen. He could have let Samuel know 20 years before, but that’s not the point.
The Lord gives Samuel a 24-hour heads-up before He sends him the man who would be king. And that’s enough.
The Lord is Unceasingly Active in the Common Stuff of our Lives.
We have to ask at this point: does this apply to just men like Saul and David and Abraham? You know, big time Bible figures? Or does this apply to us little people?
Proverbs 16:9 NIV
9 In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.
Proverbs 20:24 NIV
24 A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way?
The providence of God is not the privilege of some of God’s people; it extends to each of His people no matter how apparently common.
Here’s the thing though: the Lord might not let you in on the secret just yet. His unceasing activity in your life and mine might not be seen or understood by us for some time.
We might be just as much in the dark as Saul was. As we look back over the course of our lives, there might be traces of what He was doing.
In the meantime, we carry on.
In His unguessable providence, the Lord selects someone who doesn’t believe he’s anyone special, certainly not worthy of what Samuel has said to him— “Why do you say such a thing to me? I’m just an insignificant Benjamite...
The Holy Spirit is at work, orchestrating events and happenings that are otherwise inexplicable. This can’t be explained, but for the unceasing work of God.
1 Samuel 9:22–10:16 NIV
22 Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and seated them at the head of those who were invited—about thirty in number. 23 Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the piece of meat I gave you, the one I told you to lay aside.” 24 So the cook took up the thigh with what was on it and set it in front of Saul. Samuel said, “Here is what has been kept for you. Eat, because it was set aside for you for this occasion from the time I said, ‘I have invited guests.’ ” And Saul dined with Samuel that day. 25 After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof of his house. 26 They rose about daybreak, and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get ready, and I will send you on your way.” When Saul got ready, he and Samuel went outside together. 27 As they were going down to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us”—and the servant did so—“but you stay here for a while, so that I may give you a message from God.” 1 Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, “Has not the Lord anointed you ruler over his inheritance? 2 When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb, at Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you set out to look for have been found. And now your father has stopped thinking about them and is worried about you. He is asking, “What shall I do about my son?” ’ 3 “Then you will go on from there until you reach the great tree of Tabor. Three men going up to worship God at Bethel will meet you there. One will be carrying three young goats, another three loaves of bread, and another a skin of wine. 4 They will greet you and offer you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from them. 5 “After that you will go to Gibeah of God, where there is a Philistine outpost. As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with lyres, timbrels, pipes and harps being played before them, and they will be prophesying. 6 The Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. 7 Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you. 8 “Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do.” 9 As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day. 10 When he and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he joined in their prophesying. 11 When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, “What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” 12 A man who lived there answered, “And who is their father?” So it became a saying: “Is Saul also among the prophets?” 13 After Saul stopped prophesying, he went to the high place. 14 Now Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, “Where have you been?” “Looking for the donkeys,” he said. “But when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.” 15 Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me what Samuel said to you.” 16 Saul replied, “He assured us that the donkeys had been found.” But he did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said about the kingship.

The Lord is Unceasingly Active in the Common Stuff of our Lives.

After Samuel’s pre-coronation banquet for Saul, he anoints him in a semi-secret fashion and then gives to Saul the assurance of several signs that would come about. It was going to be a pretty strange day.
He’d meet some men who tell him the donkeys have been found and that Saul’s father is worried about him.
Saul will meet three more men who are on their way to worship. They will offer him two loaves of bread.
He’ll encounter a group of prophets and will be changed into a different person.
1 Samuel 10:9 states clearly: “all these signs were fulfilled that day.”
These aren’t vague generalizations like horoscopes or fortune cookies. These are detailed. The people, the locations, the messages. The details are listed for Saul’s assurance and they are meant to assure us of God’s providential hand—His unceasing activity in the lives of His people.
The last verses of our text ends with a secret. Saul’s uncle is in the dark. But, so is everybody.
Hardly anyone knows what’s really going on.
Samuel knows because the Lord told him. We know for the same reason.
Saul was puzzled early on— “Who me?!?”
The people at the feast must have wondered why this tall, good-looking fella was honored as he was, but they didn’t know what was up exactly.
Saul’s servant wasn’t privy to the information.
And Saul, upon returning home, doesn’t share any details—the meal, the anointing, the meetings on the way home.
There’s a word repeated throughout this story. It’s a common word—found/find. It’s all over the place. They set out to find the donkeys, the servant found the prophet’s fee, they find some girls who know where Samuel is, they hurry to find the prophet, Samuel says the donkeys have been found as do the men Saul finds on the way home. Three men find Saul. Whatever Saul finds to do. Saul tells his uncle that Samuel told him the donkeys were found.
All of this finding and hardly anyone knows it.
The Lord is unceasingly active and at work, but few can see what He’s up to.
The Lord is working for the deliverance of His people, but we can’t see it. He works, often times, secretly. It’s how He chooses to operate.
He brings about His kingdom through a baby, a carpenter’s son, an unlikely Galilean would be the One True King, the King of the Universe!
No one saw it coming, even those who were closest to it couldn’t see how it worked until they were on the other side of it.
The Lord is unceasingly active and at work, but few can see what He’s up to.
Derek Rishmawy, a campus minister in California, just relayed this story a couple days ago:
“2 years ago I met this student. He didn't show up to any events, but we kept running into each other at the gym and a half-dozen other places on campus. I finally built up enough trust we grabbed coffee and we talked about the meaning of life and such.
Right before the pandemic, I handed off a copy of "Making sense of God" by Timothy Keller. We had plans to meet the next quarter. That obviously didn't happen and we lost touch.
Today was my fourth day back on campus and as I walk into the Chick-fil-A with another student, the first guy I see in line is this dude. It’s a school of 30,000 students. Seems like God is working here, so please pray for this young man.
Update: He showed up at our Chick-Fil-A night later (the man knows what he likes) and he brought a friend.”

The Lord is Unceasingly Active in the Common Stuff of our Lives.

My pastor, Ty Cross, routinely says, “There is no coincidence in God’s economy.”
The way God works is not by coincidence, but by providence.
He is unceasingly active in your life. Trust me. The job you have, your spouse, your family. He’s constantly at work in your life, “doing 10,000 things at once and you might only be aware of 3 of them.”
If you have a couple hours sometime, I’ll buy you a cup of coffee and tell you how the unceasingly active, providential hand of God has worked in my life.
From my childhood, stretching back nearly 40 years, I see how the Lord was preparing me for and working out the details of my life.
I was going to be a chiropractor. So I thought. God placed the right people in my life—a few pastors (Carl, Earl, Greg), a youth pastor named Daulton, a handful of mission trips to Mexico, a near stranger named David, and a good friend at a small Bible college who would become my brother-in-law when I married his sister (Matt was the unsuspecting matchmaker and how I met my beautiful wife).
The Lord led me from ministry to ministry, from ministry to non-church work, to Ty Cross and Fellowship Bible Church, and led us eventually to Rich Hill. He literally knit our family together in a way only He could, giving us four incredible kids and blessing on top of blessing.
I can see now how clearly this was the providential hand of God.
And I bet, if you look, you can see how the Lord has been active in your life. You might not see what He’s doing at the moment, but trust me: The Lord is unceasingly active in the common stuff and details of your life.
Philippians 2:13 NIV
13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
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