Walking in the Open (#71)

“Maybe, I picked a bad time to start a fight, after all.” Jonathan peered through a gap between boulders at the Philistine outpost atop the cliff high above. After his attack days ago, the enemy retaliated with vengeance. His father’s army fled. Thousands deserted. The remnant army trembled in caves and crags. “I really thought this would go differently.”

“What can we do?” his armor-bearer asked. “No one in our army has a single spear or sword except you and the King.”

Fair question, Jonathan admitted, nodding slightly, biting his lower lip. “We can’t do anything,” he confessed.

The young man slumped, sighed, and wondered how much death hurt.

“But,” Jonathan continued, suddenly resolute in new clarity, “our God can. Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the Lord will act on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.”

They stood, walked into the open, and waited. Philistines quickly spotted them and shouted down, “Come on up, Hebrew pigs, and we’ll teach you a lesson.”

“Ah ha!” Jonathan said, grinning at his armor-bearer. “Climb up after me; the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.” They scaled the cliff, hand and foot, up to their tormentors. At the top, Jonathan drew sword. His armor-bearer wielded staff. They killed nearly two dozen men, and panic struck the whole Philistine army.

God assigns a task. We rightly ask Him to supply, but then demand guarantees. We want everything firmly in our own hands before confronting the challenge. And what happens if we get our way? Do we pass test or gain victory? Do we learn trust or grow beyond comfortable ability? No, we simply manage what we already control. Just as we strengthen muscles only by first breaking them down, we acquire faith only by pushing past the limits of our understanding.