Perhaps the Lord will show up

I've been spending some time in 1 Samuel chapter 14, with the story of Jonathan and his armor bearer. The scene was simple: The Philistines controlled the land and one way they kept that control was banning all blacksmiths in Israel. To sharpen a tool or have a sword made, Israel had to depend on the Philistines. It seems the sword orders were always "in process."

The Israelite army had two swords - King Saul's and his son Jonathan's. As the story goes, while the Army was sitting under a pomegranate tree, Jonathan decides it's time to act, time to move in faith. He takes his armor bearer and sets out to attack the Philistines.

14:6 Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.”

I love the heart of Jonathan. Acting in faith doesn't mean all the details are worked out ahead of time. PERHAPS the Lord will show up on our behalf.

Perhaps God will move. Perhaps he won't. Perhaps we will experience a great victory, and perhaps we will die. Jonathan had courage because he knew God was in charge. He didn't have the details worked out—or even an assurance it would go as he hoped—but he did know that moving was right.

What would you have done? What do you do when there seems to be no way? Jonathan made a way. Here are some lessons:

1. Acting in faith means moving toward the unknown. The only known is God. We know God's character and promises. We don't know the details of how it will all work out.

2. Jonathan focused on what he had instead of what Israel didn't have. He had God; he had a sword; he had faith. That's all he needed. He had his armor-bearer too and that young man must have thought Jonathan was crazy! But he followed. Jonathan was a leader. He took what he had and used it to lead another as well as lead forward for God.

Afterall, Jonathan thought, we have half the weapons in all of Israel - let's go!

3. He followed an unconventional plan

14:8-10 “Come, then; we will cross over toward the men and let them see us. 9 If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are and not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the Lord has given them into our hands.”

The high ground is the good ground in a battle. Crawling on hands and knees was a distinct disadvantage. But he knew the Lord.

4. He took the difficult road to success. He crawled up, was probably tired and then had to engage the enemy. Just because the Lord shows up doesn't mean everything is easy. There is work to be done and He expects us to do it.

5. Don't forget the armor-bearer. The scripture says that he came behind Jonathan and killed the enemy with him.

14 "In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre."

What did his armor-bearer use to kill Philistines? I can't wait to meet this guy and ask that question? Jonathan was only a leader because someone was following him. And that follower was enthusiastic and made things happen, despite his lack of weaponry.

Do you find yourself in a difficult situation, unsure about what to do, how to proceed? Perhaps follow Jonathan's lead. Trust in the promises of God. 

What else do you see in the story?