(Attempt something for Jesus, like these 2 men?
Jonathan was stirred to attempt something for the LORD)
I Samuel 14:1 Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father.
4 And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines’ garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.
5 The forefront of the one was situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah.
6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.
7 And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.
8 Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will discover ourselves unto them.
9 If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them.
10 But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the LORD hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be a sign unto us.
11 And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.
12 And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.
13 And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him.
(There is no record that the LORD called upon Jonathan to do this.
It seems that Jonathan was stirred up to attempt something for the LORD.
That is evidenced by him saying, “it may be that the LORD will work for us”.
When he said to his armorbearer, that if the Philistines say, “Come up unto us”, this would be a sign to them.
By faith, he declared that it would be a sign that the LORD had delivered the Philistines into their hands.
The LORD clearly did that for them, and a great victory was won.
Although Jonathan was initially stirred to do what he did, he immediately turned it over to the LORD, and his will.)
(What if, while we drive, we see all kinds of people gathered, and maybe booths like at a fair, and we dash home and grab a bunch of tracts?
Then pray that the LORD opens the door, and go back and hand out every last one of the tracts?)
(David also was stirred to attempt something for the LORD:)
I Chronicles 11:3 Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.
4 And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land.
5 And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which is the city of David.
7 And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it the city of David.
(As soon as David was anointed king over all Israel in line 3, he immediately, in line 4, went to Jerusalem to take it from the Jebusites.
There’s no record here, or in II Samuel, that the LORD told David to go take Jerusalem.
However, David was stirred to attempt something for the LORD.
Bethlehem was only like 5 miles from there, and no doubt David many times saw the Jebusites on the wall looking down.
David knew that Joshua had victory over the 5 kings, including the king of Jerusalem (Joshua 10), but that the Jebusites remained in the city still.
Perhaps David was stirred considering that Jerusalem should not remain a Jebusite city in the heart of the land, but that it should be taken and dedicated to the LORD.
So David took Israel with him to Jerusalem, and the LORD granted a great victory.)
(What if, next week, we invite, and offer to buy a coworker lunch, then pray for an open door.
Then at lunch, we tell them what great things Jesus has done for us?
We don't have to be rough with them, saying something like, "If you don't get saved, you'll fry like a sausage in hell!!
We can still be gentle as doves, and yet talk about Jesus.
Maybe they won't talk to us again, but for a free lunch, they may let us tell them a few things about how wonderful Jesus has been to us.
And if we have been praying for an open door, there may be a good opening to present the gospel, clearly.)
(What if Jonathan decided to wait until he heard a voice from the LORD, or from Samuel, telling him to go against the Philistines?
Probably nothing would have happened.)
(What if we wait for a more convenient time to hand out tracts or to tell what Jesus has done for us?
Probably nothing will happen.)
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