Can We Find God’s Will in Prayer? (1 Sam 10.22)
So they inquired again of the LORD, “Did the man come here?”
1 Samuel 10.22
When the time comes to appoint the king, Samuel calls the tribes together and repeats his warnings about the dangers of having a human king. Since they had rejected God—the one who saved them—and insisted on a king, God would grant their wish. This last part seems to imply that, after everything God had done for them, they still want someone else; rather than punishing them, God would give them what they want—and that would turn out to be punishment enough!
Samuel cast lots for each tribe: it falls to Benjamin. Next come lots for each clan within the tribe of Benjamin, then for each family, and finally for each person in the chosen family. It fell to Saul. Yet no one could find the man that God had chosen. Samuel prays and inquires of God, and God tells him that Samuel is hiding among the gear.1 He is brought out and crowned the King of Israel.
Two things about this passage teach us about prayer. First, as already mentioned, God might indulge our request even if it is not good for us, yet he will still try to guide and nurture us.
The second matter is the issue of Saul “inquiring” of God through the casting of lots. Casting lots was a common way of determining the will of God; not only in Israel but by all other religions, too. The “lots” were usually colored or marked stones. There was a stone representing each possible option (for instance, twelve different colored stones for each tribe). The priest would reach into a bag and pull one out—the color represented God’s choice. It is like a lottery in some ways, or perhaps throwing dice or the drawing of straws. The belief was that God (or the deity) would control the outcome—humans would be unable to control the outcome, influence it, or misread God’s intention.
Meaning
Is the casting of lots a proper method of determining God’s will in prayer for us? Some believers—maybe most—look for “signs” from God. “If he calls tomorrow night, then that will mean we are supposed to be together.” “If the boss offers me this particular salary, I will take that to mean that God wants me to have the job.”
Would it be proper, in connection with our petitionary prayers, to cast lots? We pray for some guidance, ask God to speak to us through the act, choose the straws or stones, and act on the results as the will of God.
