1st Round Drafts And Depth Charts

Only God can provide what we truly need.   ~~~   Depth charts are a hot item on football teams, especially at this point in the season. A depth chart is a ranking of all the players at their respective positions. So there may be three or four guys listed under the position of quarterback. Some teams are still working through who their starting quarterback will be. Who will the team listen to and follow? Which one is best at making in-game adjustments? What quarterback is the most effective at knowing and running the playbook? I heard one commentator make the statement once that the right quarterback for your team is worth whatever price you can pay to get him. In our text for study today, we are watching God work down the depth chart of the position of King. In his providential grace and mercy and wisdom, He has let the nation of Israel have the first choice in who they would like their king to be. And in their first round draft choice, they chose a stellar specimen—Saul, son of Kish. All the ladies swooned when he walked through the door, and all the men stood in awe. It was an obvious choice. I mean, he stood head and shoulders above everyone else. But could he lead the nation? Well, he did have a distinct advantage in that he had the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit on his life, and he had divine word of Samuel the prophet in his ear. But after a few plays, it became evident to us that King Saul simply didn’t know what he was doing. He didn’t know the playbook, he didn’t listen to the coach. But what we see in our text is what takes place on the sidelines and in the huddle. We see providential maneuvering and private conversations. And the original audience would be learning of these behind the scenes happenings for the first time as well. You see, they may have known the big events of the history of Israel, the slaying of Goliath, and so on, but these details of how the LORD brought David into the Kingdom would have been novel to them. And the biblical author is teaching them that only by the providence of God did Israel receive a Spirit-obedient King, and only by the providence of God did they realize the unsuitableness of their first choice, King Saul. Only God provides what we need, not us, not the world, and what we need is a Spirit-driven King, a faithfully obedient King. So look to Christ! See Christ! Trust Christ! Follow Christ! Sing the song of Christ!