Text:
1 Samuel 10:17-25
Memory Verse:
“So they asked the Lord, ‘Where is he?’ And the Lord replied, ‘He is hiding among the baggage'” (1 Samuel 10:22NLT).
When Samuel went to present Israel’s first king to the people, Saul was discovered “hiding among the baggage.” The Hebrew word for baggage symbolises the self-imposed limitations that hinder
you from tackling the job God appointed you to do. Saul, Moses and Gideon were caught in this web of self-imposed limitations. The feelings of inadequacy were demonstrated by Moses (Exodus 3), Gideon (Judges 6:11-16). Saul’s first response when he learned he had been chosen as king was, “Am I not… from the smallest tribe of Israel,…the least of all?” (1 Samuel 9:21 NIV). When you fail to factor God into the equation, you will always feel “less than.” Instead of focusing on your own weaknesses and inabilities, concentrate on the incredible greatness of God’s power.
The fear of what others might think is another self imposed limitation. The fear of people is a dangerous trap. Moses gave it as an excuse and Saul fell into it. When Samuel confronted Saul for failing to blot out the Amalekites, his reply was that he was afraid of the people and did what they demanded. We need not fear people because God assures us that He will never leave us or forsake us. Strong headedness, double mindedness and instability constitute another set of baggage. This made Saul take matters into his own hands and consult a psychic when he could not hear from God. Again, after promising not to harm David, he repeatedly hunted him down. What are you hiding among, child of God? Beware; God requires consistency and commitment.
Prayer Points:
1. Father, expose and deliver me from every baggage I am hiding among.
2. Lord, destroy every self imposed limitation in my life today.
