WHEN YOU CAN’T FIND YOUR DONKEY - DR. TIM HARLOW

dr. tim Harlow

when you Can’t find Your donkey

One day, Kish lost some donkeys, so he sent his son Saul out to find them. Saul looks for days but can’t find his donkeys anywhere, so he went to Samuel the Prophet for advice. Little did Saul know that God orchestrated the whole thing so that he and Samuel would meet because God decided that Saul would be the new King of Israel. When Samuel told Saul about God’s vision of leadership, Saul was understandably reluctant. “King of Israel? I can’t even find my own a__!!”

Do you ever feel like that? Maybe like, I don’t know, today? You are leading in your church or organization or business as best you can, but the pandemic and social melee of the past year has blown everything apart and you aren’t sure you can even find your donkey let alone lead. I feel you. Many of the church leaders I know who are my age are thinking about succession and retirement a lot sooner than they thought they would. I am one of them. I know I am not God’s anointed leader for Parkview forever, and at some point, there has to be a good hand off. But for now, I…am…the…. leader.

In our story, Saul patiently submits and accepts the anointing of Saul, who tells him that the power of God is going to enable him to do some incredible ministry.

The Spirit of God came upon him in power, and he joined in their prophesying. When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, “What is this that has happened to the son of Kish?” (1 Samuel 10:10-11)

I’ll tell you what happened; he was chosen and anointed by God! Because it was never about him, it was about the fact that God picked him.

So, Samuel brought the people together to introduce them to their new leader, and he did it in dramatic fashion. He had all the people gather as tribes and clans and chose Benjamin; the tribe Saul was from. Then he went through the tribe, clan by clan, until Saul’s clan was chosen. Then they announce that Saul was the winner. I think this was the early version of American Idol. Just imagine this big dramatic moment!

“And now, your new King of Israel… Saul Kishson.” (Crickets chirping)

They just had one problem – they couldn’t find Saul.

“When they looked for him, he was not to be found. So, they inquired further of the LORD, “Has the man come here yet?” (vs. 21-22)

They had no idea where Saul was – so they asked God, who had to be laughing as he delivered the next line.

The LORD said, “Yes, he has hidden himself among the baggage.” (vs. 23)

Many, if not most of you have actually been ordained to the office you now hold by a church leadership. The rest of you have been ordained by God himself, who told us in 1 Peter 2:9 that we’re all in the “royal priesthood.”

If we’ve been ordained, we’ve been anointed. So why is it that you’re connecting with King Saul so much right now? Let me ask it this way – are you having one of those days when you know about the power of the anointing, but you just aren’t feeling like stepping forward?

It may be one of those days when you just can’t find your own donkey (this works better in King James), and you feel like hiding in the baggage.

It doesn’t matter if it’s burnout, anger, depression, or just fear – it happens to the best of us. And it can come out of nowhere. I’ve hidden in the baggage more than my fair share. The worst was a burnout that came from a time of highly fruitful ministry. Things weren’t bad, they were just busy – good busy. And one weekend I found myself hiding in the baggage. They didn’t have to inquire of God, but they did have to pull me out.

Thankfully I had some friends and counselors that surrounded me and pulled me out of the baggage and got me going again. I’ve been there again this summer to be honest.

As I look back on that experience, and the others like it, there is one common denominator that Saul and I shared. We forgot the anointing. If you know the sad story of Saul, it was a problem he really never overcame. Sometimes for Saul, it manifested itself in fear, and other times it showed up as pride. It can go both ways.

It’s usually short-lived in my life, and less common the older I get, but my natural tendency is to forget the power source. Just like Saul, even though I’ve seen the amazing things God can do through me and in spite of me, I sometimes forget that it is God who called me here. It’s the anointing. When people tell me good things that God has done through me, I won’t get a big head if it’s about the anointing. When situations arise that are totally above my pay grade, I won’t fear because I have the anointing. When it’s one of those days when people are expecting me to be their leader and I don’t want to because I can’t even find my own donkey – it’s the anointing.

Peter had some experience with this, maybe as much as any Bible writer. That’s why his words mean so much to me in my baggage-hiding moments.

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:11

It’s always about the anointing. Tim Harlow is the senior pastor of Parkview Christian Church, one of the largest, fastest growing churches in America. He has spent thirty years working with people who have baggage from their past church experiences. He knows what drives people away and that the Jesus of the Bible is ultimately the hope that brings them back. Tim and his family make their home in the south suburbs of Chicago.