Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 13:23‐14:52, John 7:30‐52, Psalm 109:1‐31, Proverbs 15:5‐7

1 Samuel 14:6 Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.”

Observations:

• Context: Jonathan knows that the Philistines are the enemies of God.  The people of God have not attacked their enemy.  He wakes up during the night and says these words to his armor bearer.
• Come, let us go – he is leading him into battle
• Of these uncircumcised – they do not follow God
• It may be that the Lord will work for us – stepping out in faith does not mean we know the outcome.
• Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few – if God decides to save, he will.  Me + God = Victory

What challenges my faith in this passage is the “it may be that the Lord will work for us.”  The NIV and NAS use the word “perhaps.”  This is not the popular message from the pulpit when it comes to stepping out in faith.  Instead, we want to say things like: “God has shown me that our new sanctuary will bring in more people, this will be the greatest summer of your life, or if you do this, you cannot fail.”  Faith is not this way.  We don’t know what the end result will be.  Yet, within the context of prayer, God’s Word, and Christian counsel, we step out in faith believing that it “may be that the Lord will work for us.”

Apply: I want to move forward in doing good even if the end result is unknown.

For more on this passage, check out “Seizing Your Divine Moment” by Erwin MacManus.

How can we keep “it may be” from paralyzing us?