“Perhaps” is what makes it fun

God allows us to be involved in the adventure of His Kingdom work.  If we always knew what would happen, it wouldn’t be an adventure.

In 1 Samuel 14, Jonathan and his armor bearer face a tough military situation.  A much larger group of Philistines are talking trash to them across a gorge.  Discretion (which is so often the better part of valor) would have encouraged Jonathan to stay put.  But Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come let us go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows, perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf.  For nothing can hinder the Lord from saving whether by many or by few (1 Samuel 14:6, NIV).”

Put yourself in the place of the armor bearer.  How would you have responded to the encouragement, “Perhaps the Lord will act on our behalf. . .”

As one preacher said, “If I was the armor bearer, I would want something a little stronger at this point than ‘perhaps.’  If I’m going to go risk my life, I want a, ‘thus saith the Lord.'”  In other words, I want to know for sure that the victory is ours.

But, if you think about it, the “perhaps,” is what makes for the adventure of the Christian life.  If we always knew what was going to happen, it wouldn’t be an adventure.  We’d simply be cogs in a robot like history.  Taking chances for the cause of Christ is the great adventure.

This week our church is taking the chance with a new Saturday evening project called “The Brickworks”.  We are doing a six week special worship series on the book of Philippians.  We’re doing it because “perhaps” God will use it on his behalf.  And that’s enough for us.  We get to be part of the adventure.  If it doesn’t work, we will know that it’s better to take a chance for the cause of Christ reaching out, then to always sit in safety.