Stuck. Trapped. In a rut. The
new day’s dawn slowly illuminated the same bleak landscape as the day before.
All that stood between the two armies was a narrow valley floor, and the ground
rose sharply in every direction. Like opposing teams in bleachers on each side
of a playing field, the Philistines and the Israelites could clearly see each
other. From their hiding places, the men of Saul’s army could tell that every
trail and passage out was blocked by the enemy. As the sun rose higher, the
contrast was clear. Piercing light glinted off the Philistine weapons on one
side as the dull surface of farm implements was visible on the other. No light
reflected off the tools the Israelite army used as weapons, and the countenance
of each man in the army was even dimmer. But this day would be different.
The writer says the men of
Israel were “in a strait”. It was a distressing situation and a literal example
of being “between a rock and a hard place”. If the terrain would have been more
level, perhaps the enemy would have already annihilated them all. It was much
easier to keep the Israelites trapped, as “the people did hide themselves in
caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits” (1
Samuel 13:6).
This day would be different
because Jonathan took a step towards freedom. One man acted on the belief that
God could work on his behalf, and everything changed. One step lined him up
with the God that did not need a majority to do the miraculous.
It began as a frustration
with present circumstances. This prince and his companion slipped away to the
enemy garrison with nothing more than an understanding that God could do what
they could not. A great victory was won that day, and it all hinged on a step being
taken even though everyone else was hiding. God didn’t need their skills, but
He provided victory when they took initiative to align themselves with what He
could do.
It’s a spiritual principle
that applies to every area of our life. If you want to see improvement, God
will help you when you do what you can first. It is not presumptuous to attempt
the impossible if it is anchored in a desire to see the hand of God at work. It
may seem absurd to think that God’s involvement is contingent on our initial action,
but it happened with Jonathan and it still happens today. It matters not if an
individual is stuck or fearful, He is looking for someone willing to take a
step in the right direction.
God had a great plan for
Abram, but the details weren’t revealed until he took the first step.
The journey to the Promised Land involved crossing the Jordan River, but the
children of Israel didn’t cross on dry land until after the priests took the
first step into the water. Simon Peter had an invitation to walk on water, but
first he had to step out of the boat.
There is a time to wait on God, but many times God waits on us. We want the
entire journey mapped out in advance, but often the light for our path only
illuminates the next step.
Many times we justify our lack of action with faulty thinking.
If God wanted me to stop
engaging in this harmful behavior, then He would take away the desire.
If God wanted my marriage
to succeed, He would fix it.
If God wanted me to eat
healthy, He would close all the fast food restaurants on my drive home.
But God will replace desires
when we delight in Him! He will get involved in our relationships when we
invest in them. And He will give strength to be an overcomer when we resist
what we know is wrong.
To show our faith that He will do the impossible we first show our commitment
by doing what is possible.
In
the book Great by Choice, author Jim Collins shares the story of two
explorers, Amundsen and Scott, who led separate teams on a 1,400-mile
expedition race to the South Pole in 1911. While both teams would be
traveling the same distance as each other through extremely harsh weather
conditions, each team took an entirely different approach to the journey.
Scott’s team would walk as far as possible on the good weather days and then
rest up on the bad days to conserve energy. Amundsen’s team adhered to a strict
regimen of walking 20 miles every day no matter what the weather. While on
good days Amundsen’s team were very capable of walking further, Amundsen was
adamant that they walk no more than 20 miles each day to conserve their energy.
They wouldn’t walk as far as they could every day, but they would daily try to
move forward. Which one succeeded? The team that took consistent action; the
team that took a first step every day
It really doesn’t matter what
area of life you face challenges. Take that first step today towards
improvement and watch for God’s involvement! Don’t wait until the conditions
are perfect. God will bolster your efforts when you take the first step in the
right direction. Then do it again tomorrow.