by Ben Opp
Action taken in light of the promises of God yields results - big results. Here, Jonathan's seemingly rash and crazy solo attack on a Philistine outpost turns into a massive victory for the nation of Israel, as a "panic sent by God" (vs. 15) engulfs the Philistine army.
I have never taken part in a battle, but I have seen God provide in smaller ways. During my last few years of college in California, it seemed that God was calling me to continue playing the bassoon, an orchestral woodwind instrument I had been studying, and to pursue a career as an orchestral musician and teacher.
This is a little like attacking an enemy outpost by yourself. There are very, very few jobs in the field, and tremendously heated competition for those few openings. As I have pursued this, however, I have seen God open doors and make things possible that blow my mind - the purchase of a fine instrument far beyond my financial ability, acceptance and scholarship support at Eastman, performance opportunities with professional orchestras and summer festivals without even taking auditions, and many more. These events have been too numerous and too timely to be random chance, and are far beyond what I could accomplish on my own.
Perhaps more importantly, I have been given tremendous opportunities to share my faith and further the Kingdom of God through my musical endeavors. I have had great conversations about faith and truth with non-believing colleagues, had opportunities to disciple and share experiences with younger musicians who follow Jesus, and have raised money and awareness for African civil war victims alongside non-Christian friends who were introduced to God's desire for justice and peace.
There is still a long road ahead of me - I don't have a job yet in my field. But I have seen enough of God providing thus far to push me forward in continuing to do something crazy. The credit here is God's - he has made all of this happen. The author of 1 Samuel realizes this too - credit here is given not to Jonathan, but to God.
God wants desperately to use us in powerful ways to transform the world around us and open people's eyes to the reality of his existence and love. I think that this very often requires taking steps into craziness - into things that make no sense in human terms, but total sense in the context of an all-powerful God. What is God calling you to do or say today that the world deems crazy?
A fellow traveler,
Ben