DAY 9
DATE: 1/9/2013
Good Morning! My name is Dan Koepke and I was asked to give you a devotional thought from the book of I Samuel chapter 14 and 15.
KEY VERSE:
1 Samuel 14:6-7: 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: 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.
REFLECTIONS:
God laid on Jonathan’s heart that he should confront the Phillistines’ garrison with his armourbearer. Although the text doesn’t specifically say that God spoke to Jonathan to do this specific task, I have to believe this was a divine calling. I don’t believe that anyone could come up with such a plan to attack an overwhelming army alone. God also blessed Jonathan with an armourbearer who could see God at work in him, and he wanted to be a part of God’s plan. Verse 7 is the armourbearer’s response: And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.
Jonathan just asked this young man to do something that his flesh would tell him would lead to certain death. But there is no discussion of the outcome, no whining or complaining. The response is clear, Let’s do it, and you don’t even need to look back, I am right behind you. Jonathan’s commitment to doing God’s will gave him a great victory. The sharp contrast is in chapter 15 when his father Saul does not follow God’s will and is stripped of his kingdom as a result.
As I read through chapters 14&15 I recalled how blessed I am to have several armourbearers in my life. Armourbearers in today’s world are a spouse, family, or friends who are there to help you no matter what the request or need may be. I have a few close friends who say “yes” to whatever I am asking them as soon as the words “would you be able to” leave my lips. I am grateful for these individuals and appreciate their relationship. I hope that I am as good a friend to them as they are to me.
However, I believe this armourbearer type relationship is far beyond being a loyal friend. If you have the love of God in your heart, you will be an armourbearer.
1 John 3:16, 17; 16-Hearby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17-But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
God’s love for us is so powerful and far beyond what we are able to comprehend. So much so that it will overflow and we naturally love our brothers and sisters in Christ without us having to even think about it. It is amazing to me how God’s love for us holds our lives together. If we accept Christ, He loves us, trusts us to do His will in even the smallest of tasks, and others see the love of God in us and desire that relationship as well. I am certain this is why I am blessed with such good friends. It is not that they like me that much (I have a lot of flaws), but they love the Lord, and His love is overflowing to all around them.
APPLICATION:
Are you an armourbearer? Are you committed to following God’s will to the point that others want what you have? Do you follow God’s instructions or do you use the word “but” after He lays something on your heart? I know He has laid things on my heart when I have responded “But, God, I’m already running late,” and I’ve regretted not following his instruction later. I pray that we would all be armourbearers for God and our brothers and sisters.
Thank you for being a part of the Route 66 Challenge. Thanks for reading, and you have a blessed day.
In Christ, Dan Koepke
NAME: Dan Koepke
WHEN YOU GOT SAVED: 15yoa
FAMILY: Wife Crystal, daughters Regan & Rylie
OCCUPATION: Farmer
MINISTRY INVOLVEMENT AT VBC: Outreach
DREAM VACATION: A week on an island in Lake George, New York, (already been there)
HOBBIES: Working on our 48 Chevy coupe