“And the Lord answered, ‘Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.’” (1 Samuel 10:22)
When the time came for Samuel to step down, the Israelites
didn’t want another prophet leading them but demanded a king like the
surrounding nations. With this demand, they rejected God, who was their king
speaking through Samuel. God was displeased but gave them what they wanted. Saul
had kingly qualities: tall, striking appearance, courageous, and known for his generosity.
But outward appearances can be deceiving; his “inward man” would not lean on
and trust God with his strengths or weaknesses that would make him usable for
God’s purposes. Saul was hesitant to step forward when it was time for Samuel to
present him as Israel’s first king officially; he hid “among the stuff.” The
word “stuff” in verse twenty-two means baggage. Saul hid in the baggage, but
the baggage could not hide him.
The word “stuff” has always intrigued me. When the Lord
dropped this word in my thoughts, I was anxious to learn what He wanted to
teach me: We all have stuff with which to deal; sometimes, we hide in it. Your “stuff
“is different from mine, but we all have it. No? People pay to store excess
stuff in storage facilities or tuck it away in “she-sheds” or workshops. Glance
in your closets and those “catch-all” drawers; see all the stuff? These places store
things used regularly, seasonally, hardly ever, or not at all. Sometimes we put
those things away, not to see or deal with them. Stuff—we all have stuff.
Though our outward appearance can fool others, the inward
person cannot deceive God. With all your stuff and my stuff stored in strategic
places, how often do we hide in our “baggage” to escape facing realities that
need addressing? Reasons for hiding “among the stuff” differ, but we must
confront them, allowing God access to expose hiding places. As we surrender to
God, we experience freedom from the baggage that has us stalemated. Saul could
have been a great king had he only allowed God to be King and Ruler of his
heart.
God has a plan for your life and mine. He desires sincere
hearts bent and surrendered to His will. He knows what and where your stuff is,
whether in open or hidden places. God is waiting for an invitation to help you
deal with the baggage that weighs you down. Instead of hiding in that stuff of
yours, find shelter in God as the psalmist did: “Thou art my hiding place;
Thou shalt preserve me from trouble; Thou shalt compass me about with songs of
deliverance” (Psalm 32:7). Crawl out from under the baggage and surrender
all to God.
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Thank you for sharing your thoughts.