Faith AdventureSample

4: It's Not Usually Easy (Nor Guaranteed)

To reach the Philistine outpost, Jonathan had to go down between two rocky cliffs that were called Bozez and Seneh.

“Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armour-bearer. “Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether He has many warriors or only a few!” (v4 & 6)

Movement is always more challenging than staying still. Everyone loves to hear about an adventure after the fact, when the risk is in the past. Heaven only knows how many faith adventures never see the light of day because of the reality that moving takes more effort than to remain. The story notes that the path Jonathan and his armour-bearer had to go was challenging. They had to climb on hands and knees between rocky cliffs. But Jonathan decided to move, to embark on an adventure that opened up new possibilities.

The words emotion and motion are related. Sometimes, as we stir up our emotions, they help us move, and other times they lag behind. But we are people of conviction, so we move in spite of what we feel (our emotions). We can read how Jonathan was managing his emotions through what he says. He begins with a tentative “perhaps the Lord will help us,” acknowledging in the moment that once he begins to move, he loses control to some degree.

But keep reading! Next, he encouraged himself in the Lord by declaring a higher reality. He says, “...for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether He has many warriors or only a few!”

Let's remind ourselves that God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.

Prayer: Father, we trust in You as we take the first steps into our faith adventure.