"How was your day?"

Ever been asked that question or one of its variants: "So, how was your day today?" (Honestly, most days I dread that question...)

We were reading in 1 Samuel 14 for worship this morning. In the previous chapter, Saul is supposed to wait for God's appointed religious leader, Samuel, to lead the worship service before the armies of Israel go to battle against the Philistines. But Samuel was delayed, and Saul figured surely God wouldn't be so picky as to mind if he, Saul, offered the sacrifice. But God did mind. Saul failed several character tests that day.

But chapter 14 is a new day, with new possibilities and new challenges. Prince Jonathan and his armor-bearer are off doing a little exploring without Saul's knowledge. Jonathan and his companion decide to obey the Lord and let Him give the marching orders (what a brilliant idea!).

So Jonathan and his armor-bearer attack a Philistine fort. And win. Two young men, plus angels of heaven, won an unparalleled victory for God.

But the day wasn't finished yet. Remember King Dad doesn't know where Junior is.

King Saul makes an absurd rule that no soldier could eat any food until evening so that he could be avenged of his enemies. (Note: not so that God could be avenged of His enemies, but that so Saul could mete out punishment to his own enemies.)

So King Saul leads the Israelite army into battle. Jonathan and his armor-bearer catch up with Dad's forces and join the fray. The Philistines are still running, beating a hasty retreat, thanks to two young men who had chosen to obey God's marching orders instead of nurturing their own fears. Jonathan's hungry, so he eats a bite or two of honey while he's chasing Philistines through the woods.

It's evening, and the battle's over. Saul figures out that someone disobeyed him and had something to eat during the day. The angry king declares that the miscreant must die, then asks who it is. It comes out that Jonathan disobeyed a rule he didn't know about, since he'd been off climbing cliffs in obedience to a higher order while his dad had twiddled his royal thumbs and concocted selfish orders.

Dad doesn't care. Son disobeyed him; son dies. End of story - almost. Finally, someone in the army woke up to what had happened and what else was about to happen. In words ringing with irony and dripping with implied rebuke, Saul was informed that this time, his royal tantrum wasn't going to be tolerated.

"Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day" (1 Sam. 14:45).

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That hit me. How was Jonathan's day described by that unnamed soldier who spoke on behalf of the army? "...he hath wrought with God this day."

And I wonder. How often could that same remark be made to describe my day? Unfortunately, not nearly often enough.

It's high time to change that.