The Armourbearer

Dear Readers,

I was asked to bring a devotional to some teen boys about an old testement character and the choices they made.  My, how the list is enormous with people who made wise to very foolish choices.  Two unnamed characters of similar occupations caught my attention.  I began to study two chapters in I Samuel. 

In one chapter I found the story of David and Goliath.  This excerpt from I Samuel is commonly known because it is taught to every young child.  As God gives the description of Goliath, one man is made mention of in these verses as well.  I believe he is called "one bearing his shield."  This "one" went before Goliath.  Now, though no major details are recorded about this man, we would assume that he was a mighty man of battle himself.  He must have been of great strength to bear such a massive protective instrument before the mightiest warrior of the Philistines, and we would not be crazy to assume that he was of great stature as well in order that he might protect this giant.  I would surmise that he had been in battle with Goliath before, but something is odd about this particular battle.  As the young and ruddy teen boy advances toward this behemoth of a man. . . no armour bearer is found. Where did he go?  What caused this protector of Goliath to flee from the presence of an insignificant Jew?

Just a few chapters prior to David's story, the armour bearer of Jonathan is brought into light.  In this story, Jonathan takes his armour bearer and tackles a garrison of the Philistines.  Jonathan surmised and rightfully so, that God could defeat his enemy by many or by few.  So, these two men advanced and began to melt away the Philistine forces of this garrison.  The difference between these two armour bearers:  Jonathan's trusted the heart of his master. 

These men were in a place of protection.  Each had a military if not royal assignment to protect valuable assets of each army.  Both were in a position of provision.  These men  had the job of providing any assistance to Jonathan or Goliath that they might require.  Both armour bearers protected persons of power, but Jonathan's had a passionate prayer. (And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that [is] in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I [am] with thee according to thy heart.) 

The challenge before us today is twofold.  First to be a Jonathan.  Are you someone who's heart is so intertwined with God's that someone is willing to put their life on the line because the know you will follow God?  Be the Jonathan who can lead people into the battle for Christ, and be used in a might way.
Secondly, to be an armourbearer.  No, not the kind that Goliath had who turned away at the first sign of trouble, but rather the armour bearer of Jonathan.  Stand up and protect those who you know to be servants of God.  Don't allow others to shoot arrows at your pastor or such as that.  Be a Jonathan to someone today, and be an armour bearer for a servant of Christ today.