Maybe you went and saw the giant waves that came from the storm (some local beaches reached almost 20 feet) or maybe you have seen some videos of the effect of the storms on land. It is a powerful reminder we do not have power or control as much as we might think over life’s circumstances. There are times when we witness things like this and can only look to the Lord. When Jonathan decided to climb up to the Philistine camp he hoped for the Lord’s favor, but I guess he was not sure how things would fully unfold.
The verse in Hebrew ends with Elohim, and is translated as “from God.” The Philistine army panicked and trembled because fear overtook them. As much as Jonathan was a more than capable warrior, he probably did not cause the panic. Let’s read the verse real quick, “Then panic struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God.” The last word is so important, God delivered fear and possibly quaking ground to completely ruin the enemy. Only God could do that! He did something out of man’s control and out of man’s power that revealed his power. We can’t ignore God’s power in the midst of history or our lives. Sometimes it is easy to try to ignore or explain what God has done, but sometimes we need to just give him credit and praise.
What has God done in your life that reminds you of his awesome power? Have you taken time lately to remember those moments? Have you shared what he has done with others? Let me encourage you to take some time to think through times God has acted in amazing ways. When we stop and consider God’s power in our normal lives it is truly amazing to consider those moments. I remember how he provided strength in the face of giant swells in the Gulf of Mexico, or when he provided in times when my wife and I had nothing. There might be dragons, but the Lord’s power reminds us we have nothing to fear.
Pastor Jeremy