Christian Devotional – August 17, 2020

Always Second – #3

Johnson was prepared. So often, when we find ourselves in 2nd place, it becomes easy to relax and slack off a bit. Yet, Jonathan was prepared for the events that were coming his way. Read 1 Samuel 13:15-23.

Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men. Now Saul and his son Jonathan and the people who were present with them were staying in Geba of Benjamin while the Philistines camped at Michmash. And the raiders came from the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned toward Ophrah, to the land of Shual, and another company turned toward Beth-horon, and another company turned toward the border which overlooks the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. Now no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears.” So all Israel went down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, and his hoe. The charge was two-thirds of a shekel for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks, and the axes, and to fix the hoes. So it came about on the day of battle that neither sword nor spear was found in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan, but they were found with Saul and his son Jonathan. And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.
1 Samuel 13:15‭-‬23 NASB
https://bible.com/bible/100/1sa.13.15-23.NASB

With the battle coming, Jonathan was prepared. He had a sword. Their enemy had made it so that most people didn’t have access to the tools or equipment that they would need to stand against them. However, Jonathan was ready and had a sword. No matter whether we are first in line, or last, we must remember that we are not doing what we do for the earthly leader that we are under. We’re doing what we do for God. We have a responsibility to be prepared and ready and to bring our very best to everything that we do even if we will never see that leadership position.

Do we come prepared for everything that we are being asked to do? How can we continue to be prepared?