Is it a good idea today to discover God's will by drawing lots, or by asking for signs? In my native (Western) culture, I scarcely ever heard of the practice. But as a missionary in the Orient I found (and find) it to be very common. So I have had to be more open to consider the value of the practice - especially since we find the apostles doing it! I would say that there are both good and bad aspects to seeking signs. It is good insofar as, when faced with two equally good courses of action or choices, we open ourselves to whatever the Lord chooses. But it is not a good practice if it is a sign of superstition and/or laziness. People can turn the seeking of signs into magical fatalism. And, perhaps more importantly, they can leave all the work to God and fail to do their own part. The art of discernment, which is more and more popular in religious circles today, is an attempt to combine real openness to God's will with active, committed searching for that will.

We need both. And perhaps the first reading reflects that happy blend of active searching and real listening. What really matters is the openness to let God be "the Boss" of our lives.