I Am with You

 DEVOTION

1^ST SAMUEL

I AM WITH YOU

1 Samuel 14:1-7

14:1 One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man bearing his armor, "Come, let's go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side." But he did not tell his father. 2 Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron. With him were about six hundred men, 3 among whom was Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod's brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD's priest in Shiloh. No one was aware that Jonathan had left. 4 On each side of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost was a cliff; one was called Bozez, and the other Seneh. 5 One cliff stood to the north toward Micmash, the other to the south toward Geba. 6 Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, "Come, let's go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few." 7 "Do all that you have in mind," his armor-bearer said. "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul."

NIV

There is no doubt in Jonathan's heart about the mighty hand of God. We wonder why he is not included among the men of faith in Hebrews. Although his armor bearer who we are not given his name, also has a story we can glean some truth from. First, as we look at this statement of Jonathan’s full faith in the LORD, we have another great lesson to apply to our lives. Although Jonathan did say that perhaps the LORD will act on their behalf, he also made that statement of faith, “Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few”. There is nothing that can hinder the Lord from saving anyone from the hand of the enemy. However, there is one person who can hinder the lord, and that person is us. We have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us who is the power of God who acts on our behalf. But we can quench the Spirit, to keep him at bay, so to speak. Yet, at the same time, if nothing can hinder the Lord from saving us, then are weak efforts to quench the Spirit are nothing compared to the mighty power of God. However, God does not force himself upon us, as he has given us, what we call, free will. He desires that we choose him, to believe him as we believe in him, and to trust him as we understand Jonathan did. Nothing can hinder the Lord, period. Nothing can hinder him from accomplishing his will in heaven and on earth. We pray for the exact thing when we pray as Jesus gave us that example. We do wonder if we truly believe with all our hearts the power of God and, with our unbelief, no matter how small it might be, limit all his power in our lives. We also see the faith of the armor bearer when he said to Jonathan, “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul”.  Although this is a statement of the man who carried Jonathan’s armor, God is our armor bearing, as he has given us his armor, and we should be able to hear the Lord tell us, “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul”. The Lord is with us, and he tells us to “Go ahead”, to move forward, to do what we have in our mind to do, as he directs our footsteps. Certainly, we cannot act according to our will, but in compliance with his will. Jonathan put the choice of his action in the hands of the LORD when he told his armor-bearer their actions depended on what the Philistines said to them. He was trusting the outcome of his actions to the LORD. This is the clue to a life of faith, putting our actions in the hands of the Lord, letting him direct our footsteps, and following the light he shines on the way we should go. Let us not hinder the Lord from doing all that he desires to do for us, in us and through us, for the Lord tells us, “I am with you”.