Navigating Life Without a Map
Humans have been practicing mapmaking for thousands of years. I’m fascinated and inspired by the courage, ingenuity, and faith it took for explorers to set out for new frontiers. We have detailed maps today of the known world because adventurous explorers before us took great risk to venture into unknown territorites.
When these ancient mapmakers reached uncharted regions, they drew dragons and monsters beyond the known. No doubt this practice didn’t exactly encourage exploration.
When these ancient mapmakers reached uncharted regions, they drew dragons and monsters beyond the known. No doubt this practice didn’t exactly encourage exploration.
It has been written that one Roman commander in the first century had led his troops beyond the line on the map into “dragon territory.” He sent a courier back to Rome with a straightforward message: “We have just marched off the map. Please send new orders.”
Sometime after Saul became the new King of Israel, his son Jonathan and his armor bearer had ventured across enemy lines into Philistine (dragon) territory. While hiding out there, God’s word records:
What inspired Jonathan to cross enemy lines where he and his armor bearer would be outnumbered? Although Jonathan didn’t have all the details, he knew what the mission was. He knew that His people were at war and that the Philistine needed to be defeated. Moreover, Jonathan understood that God uses people to fulfill His plans no matter how impossible the task appeared.
While his father, the King, along with the army sat immobilized by the threat of the Philistines’ larger force, Jonathan believed that God wanted to use someone to engage the enemy and perhaps inspire others to do the same. Furthermore, he knew that he served a God who cannot be hindered “from saving by many or by few.” Jonathan's confidence was not in his ability, but in God’s.
We see also that although Jonathan had great confidence in God’s ability, he didn’t go at it alone. It is true that sometimes people will not understand the call of God upon our lives and may even discourage us. But most of the time, God will also use others to not only confirm His call upon our lives but to support us in it. After revealing to his armor bearer what he believed God wanted to do, he responded: “And his armor-bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Do as you wish. Behold, I am with you heart and soul.” (v.7)
It’s important to note also that in addition to the support that he received from his armor bearer, Jonathan wanted further clarity from the Lord. I don’t mean that he wanted a detailed map or plan of action, rather, he wanted to know that he was being led by the Lord, not himself. So Jonathan proposed a test:
I appreciate how commentator David Guzik explained Jonathan’s reasoning:
God doesn’t guide us through this journey called life by giving us a detailed road map, but by giving us a real relationship with Him in Christ. And as we depend on Him to lead us in every area of our lives through His written word, through prayer, through the support of others, and through His providential work in our lives, He will make His way clear.
God wants to bring us into uncharted territories and use us in ways we never thought possible. But again, we must be willing to trust Him with the whole plan, and to reveal our part one step at a time.
In His service,
Pastor Marco
Sometime after Saul became the new King of Israel, his son Jonathan and his armor bearer had ventured across enemy lines into Philistine (dragon) territory. While hiding out there, God’s word records:
“Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.” And his armor-bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Do as you wish. Behold, I am with you heart and soul.” Then Jonathan said, “Behold, we will cross over to the men, and we will show ourselves to them. If they say to us, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stand still in our place, and we will not go up to them. But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for the Lord has given them into our hand. And this shall be the sign to us.” So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, “Look, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden themselves.” And the men of the garrison hailed Jonathan and his armor-bearer and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you a thing.” And Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Come up after me, for the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.” 1 Samuel 14:6-12
What inspired Jonathan to cross enemy lines where he and his armor bearer would be outnumbered? Although Jonathan didn’t have all the details, he knew what the mission was. He knew that His people were at war and that the Philistine needed to be defeated. Moreover, Jonathan understood that God uses people to fulfill His plans no matter how impossible the task appeared.
“Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.” 1 Samuel 14:6
While his father, the King, along with the army sat immobilized by the threat of the Philistines’ larger force, Jonathan believed that God wanted to use someone to engage the enemy and perhaps inspire others to do the same. Furthermore, he knew that he served a God who cannot be hindered “from saving by many or by few.” Jonathan's confidence was not in his ability, but in God’s.
We see also that although Jonathan had great confidence in God’s ability, he didn’t go at it alone. It is true that sometimes people will not understand the call of God upon our lives and may even discourage us. But most of the time, God will also use others to not only confirm His call upon our lives but to support us in it. After revealing to his armor bearer what he believed God wanted to do, he responded: “And his armor-bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Do as you wish. Behold, I am with you heart and soul.” (v.7)
“God was going to use Jonathan, but He wasn’t going to use Jonathan alone. When God uses a man He almost always calls others around the man to support and help him. They are just as important in getting God’s work done as the man God uses.” Guzik
It’s important to note also that in addition to the support that he received from his armor bearer, Jonathan wanted further clarity from the Lord. I don’t mean that he wanted a detailed map or plan of action, rather, he wanted to know that he was being led by the Lord, not himself. So Jonathan proposed a test:
“Then Jonathan said, “Behold, we will cross over to the men, and we will show ourselves to them. If they say to us, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stand still in our place, and we will not go up to them. But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for the Lord has given them into our hand. And this shall be the sign to us.” 1 Samuel 14:8-10
I appreciate how commentator David Guzik explained Jonathan’s reasoning:
"Jonathan showed wisdom and not unbelief. To this point, he does not act on a specific, confirmed word from God. Instead, he followed the bold hope and impression of his heart. He was humble enough to know his heart might be wrong on this day, so Jonathan asked God to guide him. This was not the same as Gideon’s setting of a fleece (Judges 6:36-40). Gideon had a confirmed word of God to guide him, and he doubted God’s word. Jonathan did not doubt a word from God; he doubted his own heart and mind. Jonathan was prompted by faith.
Significantly, he did not demand to know the whole battle plan from God in advance. He was willing to take it one step at a time, and let God plan it out. Faith is willing to let God know the whole plan, and to know our part one step at a time.”
God doesn’t guide us through this journey called life by giving us a detailed road map, but by giving us a real relationship with Him in Christ. And as we depend on Him to lead us in every area of our lives through His written word, through prayer, through the support of others, and through His providential work in our lives, He will make His way clear.
God wants to bring us into uncharted territories and use us in ways we never thought possible. But again, we must be willing to trust Him with the whole plan, and to reveal our part one step at a time.
In His service,
Pastor Marco