Friends come and go, as a rule. You move, you lose touch, and before you know it, you only think of them once and a while. We have moved 8 times to several different states, so I know what it means to lose touch with someone. However, I also know what it means to have people in my life who are lifelong friends. People you may not talk to often. Years may go by without much conversation at all, but when you are with them it seems like nothing has changed. There are a few that have been part of my life that I could call on with a minute’s notice, and they would do whatever was needed to meet my needs. These are people that truly love you. They have seen you at your best times and at your worst. They have not always agreed with you, but love has looked past that to continue the relationship.
This is the kind of friend that Jonathan was to David. In I Samuel 18:1-3 it is stated that Johnathan loved David as his own soul. They were knit together as kindred spirits in a deep friendship. Jonathan viewed David as a brother. He took his robe of royalty and gave it to David. This was a show of great honor. That is real love!
I Samuel 18:3-5 “Then Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle. And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.”
From that day forward Jonathan treated him as a brother. Jonathan had the humility to say openly that he would never be king. He understood God had chosen David even before David understood it. For a time, Saul did not show outwardly his contempt for David. David was brought into Saul’s house and treated as part of the family. David obeyed Saul and received honor from the people and Saul.
Jonathan loved David so much that he wanted what was best for David. They trusted one another completely. In chapter 19, Jonathan warns David that his father is seeking to kill him. After spending time with his father to find out if he truly wanted to kill David, Jonathan warns David. Jonathan chose to do what was right and protect his friend. It takes great love to choose to go against your own family for a friend.
Their friendship was not normal. Jonathan and David should have been enemies. After all, David would be taking the throne that was rightfully Jonathan’s. When Jonathan was killed David wept bitterly. They had been loyal to each other through circumstances that most would not endure. They loved each other as brothers until their death. Their friendship had all the qualities of a true friendship. They were loyal to one another. They were committed to each other. They even made a covenant to take care of the other one’s family if something should happen to one of them. They showed great self-sacrifice for one another.
What kind of friend are you? Do you allow the truth to rule your emotions or are you committed to people rather than God? Does family rule where you spend Sundays? Do you allow the bond of Christian love to rule your life?
We need to think about this type of friendship in relation to our being God’s friend. Does His truth determine what you do, where you do it, and when you do it? Is your love for Him deeper than any love you have for another? If He is truly your Master, your Lord, your Savior, you will be like Jonathan giving everything about you to the greatest friend you will ever have. Are you a friend of God?
Love you my friend, you are one of those that we don’t see each other but laugh like crazy and share the word of god when we do Thanks for the devotional