Thursday 28 February, 2013

15 Then panic struck the whole Philistine army. It struck those who were in the camp and the field. It struck those who were at the edge of the camp. It also struck those who were in the groups that had been sent out to attack Israel. The ground shook. It was a panic that God had sent. 16 Saul’s lookouts at Gibeah in the land of Benjamin saw what was happening. They saw the Philistine army melting away in all directions. 17 Then Saul spoke to the men who were with him. He said, “Bring the troops together. See who has left our camp.” When they did, they discovered that Jonathan and the young man who was carrying his armor weren’t there. 18 Saul said to the priest Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” At that time it was with the people of Israel. 19 While Saul was talking to the priest, the noise in the Philistine camp increased more and more. So Saul said to him, “Stop what you are doing.” 20 Then Saul and all of his men gathered together. They went to the battle. They saw that the Philistines were in total disorder. They were striking each other with their swords. 21 At an earlier time some of the Hebrews had been on the side of the Philistines. They had gone up with them to their camp. But now they changed sides. They joined the people of Israel who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 Some of the people had hidden in the hill country of Ephraim. They heard that the Philistines were running away. They quickly joined the battle and chased after them. 23 So the Lord saved Israel that day. And the fighting continued on past Beth Aven.

This passage demonstrates faith by contrasting Jonathan’s actions and Saul’s actions. Jonathan shows his faith in God by Cialis by mail putting his life at risk and “stepping out” where he believed God was leading him. He is rewarded by seeing God perform a miracle in defeating the Philistines in such a way that it showed that God, not Saul or even Jonathan, was the victor.

Saul starts to seek God to see if they would be able to win the battle, but then asks the priest to “withdraw his hand” because he was too impatient to wait for an answer.

How often do I rush into something of my own volition rather than wait for God’s leading or his answer?

Lord, help me to honour you by stepping out when you say to, but not jumping

in impatiently. Holy Spirit help me to truly “Hang on every word you say”.

Written by Megan Cornell