Nov 21 - 1 Samuel 10:7

Do as the occasion demands;

for God is with you.

1 Samuel 10:7

Wow … that could be a very scary verse out of context! How many of us have ever been at the wrong place at the wrong time and done what the wrong occasion apparently demanded?!

This verse definitely needs a little context!

First it’s not even a whole verse! (Imagine me scolding my source like I’d scold my dog: “Bad source for verses! Bad source!”) The whole verse – see it at the bottom – includes these words: “when these signs come to you.”

When these signs come to you … that makes a huge difference, doesn’t it?! When you see God initiating … respond! Do, indeed, as his occasion demands, trusting that he is definitely with you!  

Second, God was initiating a whole lot of stuff in 1 Samuel 10. Here’s my translation (the full and actual text is below):

•      Samuel took a flask of oil and as he anointed Saul said, “The Lord has initiated. He has anointed you.”
•      Now, when you depart from me,” said Samuel, “God will initiate again. Hear this prophecy: The Lord will place two men along the road near Rachel’s tomb, and they’ll start talking about your wandering donkeys and your worrying dad.”
•      “Then God will initiate again. Hear another prophecy: As you go on from there, you will meet three men carrying goats, bread, and wine. They’ll give you a specified amount.”
•      “Then God will initiate again. Hear yet another prophecy, this one involving prophets: The prophesying prophets will be playing musical instruments.”
•      “And do you want one more initiation from God? Then the Holy Spirit will come upon you!
•      “Now, when you see all these signs, do as the occasion demands. And in case you ever doubted, all of this proves that the Lord is with you.”

When God initiates, respond as his holy occasions demand!

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who’s looking forward

God’s next initiation

1 Samuel 10:1 Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him and said: "Is it not because the Lord has anointed you commander over His inheritance? 2 When you have departed from me today, you will find two men by Rachel's tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, 'The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. And now your father has ceased caring about the donkeys and is worrying about you, saying, "What shall I do about my son?" ' 3 Then you shall go on forward from there and come to the terebinth tree of Tabor. There three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine. 4 And they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive from their hands. 5 After that you shall come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying. 6 Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. 7 And let it be, when these signs come to you, that you do as the occasion demands; for God is with you.