Are you a Christian who struggles with anxiety and fear? Here's a story that gives a perspective that apparently God thought we needed to hear.
Imagine yourself in these people's position! King Saul was with an army of two thousand foot soldiers, and his son Jonathan commanded an army of a thousand. Trouble was brewing, so Saul summoned more men from all Israel. Then a Philistine army of six thousand charioteers (two per chariot) and foot soldiers "as numerous as the sand on the seashore" marched forth and camped not far from Saul and Jonathan. Saul and the Philistines were enemies. A battle was inevitable.
How would you feel with those odds? The Israelite soldiers in Saul's army hid, escaped, and deserted until about six hundred were left. But it got worse. The Philistines had previously exercised ancient "weapons control" on the Israelites, so at that point, not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had "a sword or spear" (1 Samuel 13:22)--only Saul and Jonathan had swords. Even if there were only six thousand Philistine foot soldiers, there would have been twenty armed Philistines for every unarmed Israelite soldier. No wonder "all the [remaining] troops were quaking with fear" (1 Samuel 13:7).
Now comes the interesting part. Jonathan knew "nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few" (1 Samuel 14:6), so after receiving the Lord's guidance, he and his armor bearer--that's two people with one sword--attacked a small Philistine outpost... and they killed twenty of the enemy (v. 14).
Jonathan was not afraid because he knew God could deliver and he acted under the belief that God would deliver, at least in regards to the Philistine outpost.
The odd thing is what happened next. The Philistine army panicked, partly because the earth shook at that point (v. 15)--God's doing. And the panic led to Israel's deliverance that day from the oppression of the Philistines. The Philistines fled because of their fear while the once-fearful Israelite army returned from hiding to engage their enemies. Philistines even fought each other in the confusion (v. 20).
In other words, the story as it is related implies that the Lord saved "by few," namely by the instigation of Jonathan and his armor bearer. The Philistine threat was a test of faith. In that circumstance, would we be afraid or would we believe and act?
Of course, had Jonathan gone ahead with his skirmish at the Philistine outpost without and contrary to the Lord's authority, it would not have been an act of faith, but of foolishness. In that case it would have been an act of vigilantism. King Saul's response had been to offer sacrifice, but in a way contrary to what the Lord had said (1 Samuel 13:7-14). If we exercise our religion contrary to what the Lord says, it does not please God, and God will not bless.
Fear can make us do foolish things. We may not face life-threatening tests of faith like Saul and Jonathan, but in principle, when a Christian is afraid, the solution is to believe and act upon what God says despite the army of problems we may see around us. And if we can trust God with our very lives, we can also trust God to care and provide for us when financial worries, job problems, health challenges, trials and difficulties march against us. God can deliver by many or by few, and when He delivers a Christian, that Christian has trusted and obeyed God.
Imagine yourself in these people's position! King Saul was with an army of two thousand foot soldiers, and his son Jonathan commanded an army of a thousand. Trouble was brewing, so Saul summoned more men from all Israel. Then a Philistine army of six thousand charioteers (two per chariot) and foot soldiers "as numerous as the sand on the seashore" marched forth and camped not far from Saul and Jonathan. Saul and the Philistines were enemies. A battle was inevitable.
How would you feel with those odds? The Israelite soldiers in Saul's army hid, escaped, and deserted until about six hundred were left. But it got worse. The Philistines had previously exercised ancient "weapons control" on the Israelites, so at that point, not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had "a sword or spear" (1 Samuel 13:22)--only Saul and Jonathan had swords. Even if there were only six thousand Philistine foot soldiers, there would have been twenty armed Philistines for every unarmed Israelite soldier. No wonder "all the [remaining] troops were quaking with fear" (1 Samuel 13:7).
Now comes the interesting part. Jonathan knew "nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few" (1 Samuel 14:6), so after receiving the Lord's guidance, he and his armor bearer--that's two people with one sword--attacked a small Philistine outpost... and they killed twenty of the enemy (v. 14).
Jonathan was not afraid because he knew God could deliver and he acted under the belief that God would deliver, at least in regards to the Philistine outpost.
The odd thing is what happened next. The Philistine army panicked, partly because the earth shook at that point (v. 15)--God's doing. And the panic led to Israel's deliverance that day from the oppression of the Philistines. The Philistines fled because of their fear while the once-fearful Israelite army returned from hiding to engage their enemies. Philistines even fought each other in the confusion (v. 20).
In other words, the story as it is related implies that the Lord saved "by few," namely by the instigation of Jonathan and his armor bearer. The Philistine threat was a test of faith. In that circumstance, would we be afraid or would we believe and act?
Of course, had Jonathan gone ahead with his skirmish at the Philistine outpost without and contrary to the Lord's authority, it would not have been an act of faith, but of foolishness. In that case it would have been an act of vigilantism. King Saul's response had been to offer sacrifice, but in a way contrary to what the Lord had said (1 Samuel 13:7-14). If we exercise our religion contrary to what the Lord says, it does not please God, and God will not bless.
Fear can make us do foolish things. We may not face life-threatening tests of faith like Saul and Jonathan, but in principle, when a Christian is afraid, the solution is to believe and act upon what God says despite the army of problems we may see around us. And if we can trust God with our very lives, we can also trust God to care and provide for us when financial worries, job problems, health challenges, trials and difficulties march against us. God can deliver by many or by few, and when He delivers a Christian, that Christian has trusted and obeyed God.
Next, if you are a Christian struggling with anxiety, more information and help is available from the Linden Method for Anxiety --and be sure to sign up for the free email mini-course. Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=David_J._Phelps |
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