Scripture
Now the men of Israel were pressed to exhaustion that day, because Saul had place them under an oath, saying, “Let a curse fall on anyone who eats before evening – – before I have full revenge on my enemies.”

Observation
In the aftermath of the battle with the Philistines, Saul orders his men to not eat until they have full victory. Jonathan did not hear that order, and when he comes across some honeycomb he dips a stick into it and gets some honey which immediately refreshes him.

Evening comes, and the men slaughter the captured animals for food. They are so desperate to eat that they fail to drain the blood from them first. Saul sets up an altar to the Lord and orders his men to slaughter the animals in a way that honours the Lord.

Saul goes on to secure his grasp on the throne. he successfully defends Israel from attacks from the neighbouring nations, but the Philistines continue to be a problem for him

Application
Saul seems to be a man who recognised the authority of the Lord. He wanted to do what was right and sought the Lord’s directions on some key decisions. On the other hand, he could be impulsive and foolish, and this got him into trouble.

One key to living successfully with the Lord is to submit everything to Him. It is easy to remember to commit the big decisions to the Lord. The daily decisions that we make in our family, our relationships, and at work, often set our directions over the longer term.

We need to learn to live in constant communion with God, listening to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit as we navigate through our days.

Prayer
Speak, Lord, your servant is listening. Amen.

Scripture

“Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few.”

Observation

Jonathan takes his armour bearer to a Philistine outpost, away from the main camps. To get to the outpost, he has to go between two rocky cliffs. He reasons that the Lord may help them even though there is just the two of them, because the Lord is able to win the battle regardless of the number of warriors.

The Philistines see them, and invite them to come and fight. Jonathan sees that the Lord is in this, so they climb up the cliff. They kill 20 men, and then the Lord sends the Philistine camp into a panic. The Philistines flee in all directions, and Saul sends his men to chase them down.

Application

Whether we are facing a military battle, a work fight, a legal threat, or family issues. the Lord is in control of it all.

Like Jonathan, we need to recognise that the Lord can give us a victory regardless of whether we seem to be out manned, out gunned or out manoeuvred.

It is all about our readiness to trust the Lord. Surrender it to Him in prayer and ask Him what you should do. In every situation, the Lord is able to win a victory in the most impossible of circumstances.

Prayer

Lord, there are many occasions in Scripture where you intervened causing an enemy to flee. Please help me to always remember that you are in control and able to bring impossible victories. Amen.