Gospel Reflections #915: Situations where our hearts are laid bare

1 Samuel 14:45 The soldiers said to Saul, "Should Jonathan die, the man who brought this great victory to Israel? Far be it from you! Today, God was with him, and this victory was achieved. 

God is alive. 

Not a single hair of his head shall fall to the ground.'

So the soldiers saved Jonathan, and he escaped death."

This is the dramatic scene where the people of Israel rescued Jonathan, the son of King Saul, who was facing death due to his father's rash oath. 

 The people prioritized the fact of "God's salvation" accomplished through Jonathan over adherence to the rule (the oath).

It was a moment when the people correctly discerned where God's will lay, rather than the king's words.

Can we, like this soldier, stand courageously against opposing forces for God's will?

Of course, we have no such strength, but we believe God will surely push us forward.

For us, the ultimate situation may be when our true nature is revealed.

God works to purify our defiled hearts, but in that process, He allows situations where our hearts are laid bare so we become aware of our own defilement.

This is not punishment, but God's love within the process of sanctifying us.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.