“Now the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost”
If you have ever planned a surprise birthday party you know there comes a time to take the birthday boy or girl on a wild goose chase away from the house so everyone else can set up the surprise. You tell the birthday person to come with you to the store or to run a small errand knowing full well the only reason for the trip is to set up the party. The birthday person is none the wiser if it is done right. He or she just assumes all is good and normal.
In chapter nine we find a wild donkey chase and the birthday boy is Saul. Him and his servant go looking for these lost donkeys and they travel to three different places looking for them. Finally, Saul realizes that the donkeys are never to be found and they have been away for too long. The servant suggests that they ask the man of God in the town ahead and maybe he can guide them toward the lost donkeys. Saul agrees and on to the town they go. We are about to witness one of the first “surprise moments” of the Bible. The Lord reveals to Samuel that He will bring a man by his tent and to anoint him king over Israel, that man is Saul. Surprise! The wild lost donkey trip was only a diversion from the Lord so Saul would be anointed king.
Saul was searching for some lost donkeys in an area that was 25 miles wide and 12 miles long in the hills. Needless to say, finding them was not likely. In fact, we read that this trip was planned by God just to get Saul to the surprise party with Samuel.
In my life, I can remember many of these little wild donkey chases orchestrated by God to get me to a place He wanted me to be. Today, I always am aware to look for what God has around the corner because the wild donkey chases you are on just might be to get you to the place God wants you to be. The trip was never about the finding the donkeys, it was about Saul being anointed king.
If you are in the middle of one of these wild donkey chases right now you might want to stop and pray that God will guide you. It is wise to humble yourself and ask for Him to reveal His hand wherever you are, even if it is searching for something that has little chance of being found. God may be setting you up. Saul could have went back home but he listened to his servant and went to the man of God for direction. Have you asked for direction lately from God or are you still searching for something and getting frustrated? God wants to guide you and all you need to do is seek Him out.
Matthew 6:33 says, “But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.” The question is what are you seeking first, Jesus, or your agenda?
Let It Go 
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