Then Jonathan said to David, “Go
in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘May the
Lord be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants,
forever.’”
1 Samuel 20:42
Jonathan and David were kindred
spirits. The Lord was the centerpiece of their whole friendship. That is always
the way to the closest and best of friendships. 1 Samuel 20:17 tells us that Jonathan
“loved him [David] as he loved his own soul.” Life wasn’t always easy for
Jonathan and David. But they stood beside one another and were loyal to one
another as they faced adversity. We need friends too. None of us were designed
to face life on our own. We need other people, and they need us. As we grow in
the Lord we realize how important it is to have wise associations. They build
us up in the Lord and encourage us in our everyday lives with Christ. When we
were younger in the Lord we may have chosen to be close to unwise associations.
Maybe we forgave them as they wronged us over and over. We chose to love them
unconditionally. This is good and this is biblical, but then God had to show us
that associating with them on a regular basis wasn’t good for us spiritually.
Yes, we were to love them. But no, they weren’t to be our best friends. Because
they didn’t walk with the Lord you continually suffered harm because of it. The
Word of God says that bad company corrupts good character. Don’t be deceived. It’s
ok to pull away. David and Jonathan are wonderful examples to us of what a
godly friendship can provide. Jonathan looked out for David. 1 Samuel 19:1-3
shows us that Jonathan warned David of danger. 1 Samuel 19:4 shows us that when
Saul was considering David as an enemy of his Jonathan stuck up for David spoke
well of David telling his father that David wasn’t sinning against him and that
he was being good to him. He was trying to be a peacemaker. This is a mark of a
good friend. Jonathan was willing to do whatever David needed. 1 Samuel 20:4
tells us that Jonathan said to David “Whatever you yourself desire, I will do
it for you.” Jonathan was even willing to risk his life defending his closest
friend and companion, even against his own father who was flesh and blood since
he knew that David was in the right and his father was in the wrong. His father
cast a spear to kill his own son as he was angry that Jonathan had questioned
him in why David should be killed. Jonathan even helped David escape when he
realized that his father wanted to kill him. God wants us to have friends that’s
hearts are knit together with ours. They have our back and look out for us.
They have our best interest at heart. These friendships are divine blessings in
our lives. Thank God for the Christian friends He has given you. Be loyal to
them like Jonathan was with David. Your faith will flourish!
Father, we thank You for our Christian friends. We thank
You that they are divine blessings in our lives. May You be the centerpiece of
our friendships. May they encourage us in the faith, and may we encourage them
in the faith too. Knit our hearts together. Bind us together with Your love. In
Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Kimberly Lenz, Care
Ministry Coordinator
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