The Numbers Game

There is a story in 1 Samuel about the valiant Jonathon, son of King Saul, and his armor bearer who decide to attack a garrison, a pretty large garrison, of the Philistines.  Just the two of them.  While it may sound a bit impetuous and maybe even a bit ill-advised for two men to attempt such a bold undertaking, Jonathon says something that shows why it is neither, and which also shows his great faith:

Jonathon said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised.  It may be that the LORD will work for us, for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few.” (1 Samuel 14:6)

As you probably know, I pastor a very small church.  Now, I am not one to play the numbers game, but I would not guess that there were more than 15 adults in yesterday’s service.  Many look at that number and think to themselves that we are not a very successful church, nor will we be until our numbers increase.  Even I, in those moments of discouragement when few have come to worship on any given Sunday, sometimes start to fall prey to such faithlessness.

But we need to always remember what Jonathon knew: that nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few! 

The fact of the matter is that Satan has a garrison in this world.  A very large, very powerful garrison.  At least when we compare ourselves to it.  But that is exactly the problem.  We should not compare the power of Satan (or sin, for that matter!) to our own.  Don’t play the numbers game, because you will only be discouraged.  Rather, think like the faithful Jonathon, who did not see the possibilities of victory as a condition of how many he was going into battle with compared to the enemy, but who saw the certainty that nothing can hinder our God from saving by many or few.

For a church, any church, no matter how small, to resign themselves to the fact that they are too few to make a difference is nothing short of telling Satan and the world: “we surrender.”  What a faithless response for a people who have been promised that the gates of hell will not prevail against us.

We cannot leave it to the churches of many to do the work we are all here to do, because God does not play the numbers game.  Because nothing can hinder Him from saving by many or from saving by few.

Oh, by the way: do you know who won that battle between Jonathon and the garrison? 

God did.

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