READ 1 Samuel 9
God instructs Samuel to anoint Saul as the first king over Israel.

INSIGHT
The sovereignty of God is a difficult concept to keep in balance. Often we find ourselves
making too much or too little of it. It is true, however, that many of the events in our
lives, which seem to come at random with no significance, are actually events that the
Lord is using to orchestrate His purpose in our lives. For example, Saul goes looking for
donkeys and ends up discovering that he will be king of Israel. We should always bathe
our daily activities in prayer, for we never know what the Lord might be preparing for us.

PRAYER
Even though you may be in pain, praise the Lord that He loves you and cares for you:
Hallelujah!  
Happy is the person who fears the Lord,
Taking great delight in his commands
(Psalm 112:1).

I lift my eyes to you,
The one enthroned in heaven.  
Like a servant’s eyes on his master’s hand,
Like a servant girl’s eyes on her mistress’s hand,
So our eyes are on the Lord our God
Until he shows us favor (Psalm 123:1-2).

Pause for personal praise and thanksgiving. Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Israel, return to the Lord your God,  
For you have stumbled in your iniquity.  
Take words of repentance with you  
And return to the Lord.
Say to him, Forgive all our iniquity
And accept what is good,
So that we may repay you
With praise from our lips
(Hosea 14:1-2).

Pause to pray this affirmation to the Lord:
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever
(Hebrews 13:8).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:

• Greater wisdom in decision making
• The needs of personal friends
• Whatever else is on your heart

Finally, offer this closing prayer:
Lord my God, you have done many things —
Your wondrous works and your plans for us;
None can compare with you.
If I were to report and speak of them,
They are more than can be told
(Psalm 40:5).