Trusting in God without Knowing the Details

Post date: Sep 29, 2011 4:04:40 PM

Reposted from 2009-06-29

You're running through a field. It's difficult to see what's in front of you and what's behind you. Your heart is pounding as you run faster and faster. You hear the sound of a bow string snapping. The arrow whistling closer and closer. You know you'll never be able to out run it. It's fairly dark, so you couldn't be sure to see where you'll be safe. Yet, you keep running. You were sent into this field for a purpose. The moment you hear a sharp schlik in the dirt, you turn around and look at the man who sent you into the field. You know he's the one shooting the arrows, yet you still wait for his further instructions. Then as your eyes adjust to see his silhouette in the light, he calls out to you....

"Is not the arrow beyond thee?"

Think about this story for a second. I'm sure it sounds vaguely familiar. There was a boy who was given an odd task, yet he blindly obeyed his lord because of his dedication. Though the boy's name was never recorded, the lord's name was Jonathan. Prince Jonathan commanded the lad to run into the field while he shot at an arrow. The lad perceived that Prince Jonathan was shooting at a mark, but little did he know that his act of blind obedience would help save the life of the future king of Israel. David waited patiently for Jonathan to send a secret message through the shooting of an arrow. If it was good, they then arrow would be "beside thee." And if bad tidings were from King Saul, then the arrow would be "beyond thee." We know of Jonathan and David's love for one another, but how often do you stop to look at the boy?

Sometimes, like the boy, it's our blind trust and obedience in God that allows wonderful things to happen. How do you know that the next person God moves you to feed or cloth or help isn't going to facilitate the next great move in His kingdom? There are many stories of people helping those they didn't know, only to find that the person they helped was part of something larger. That lad never knew the importance of his obedience. Chances are, we'll never know the fullness of our obedience while we're here. Still, when God commands you to do something (that lines up with His word), a trust and obedience is required. It may not make sense, but you never know what God is planning. And sometimes, those things done in secret work for greater good than we could imagine.

*The story is found in 1 Samuel 20.