Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father's house. And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.
1 Samuel 18:1-4
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
In 1st Samuel, Chapter17, we saw David emerge as a hero among the Israelites, stepping forward and slinging the fatal smooth stone that killed the warrior giant Goliath and sent Israel onto victory in their battle with the Philistines. David’s bravery and courage led to Saul not only wanting to speak to him but we read that “Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father's house”. Little did Saul know that it was David who God had chosen to take his place.
Well, as David left his home and was given a high rank in Saul’s army, scripture tells us that he gained a friend as well…Saul’s son Jonathan. And it is in the early verses of this chapter that we catch a glimpse of what true friendship is all about.
Note I said true friendship. For it seems that it’s very hard to find friends who are true in life…friends who are devoted and caring and loving…friends who are willing to put themselves aside for the good of another. Too often, we see people who want to be with us because they simply want something from us. With these kind of friends, there is always some string attached. As long as you give these friends what they want, they’re right there for you. But don’t come through and watch how loyal they remain. Typically, they’re onto the next person they can use. That isn’t friendship. That’s simply exploitation.
So how do we know when we have a true friend? In examining Jonathan, we can see the important qualities of a true friend…traits that we should look for as we seek companions in life.
First, Jonathan became “one in spirit with David”. You’ve may have heard or experienced the expression “kindred spirits” before. It’s when you are so in tune with another person that you seem to always be almost alike. I know my wife and her sister are like this. Talk about friends! They are closer than any two people I have ever met and are pure models for true friendship. This is because they are “one in spirit” with one another…and when I’m talking about spirit here, I’m talking about the Spirit…the Holy Spirit.
Indeed, it was the Father…the Lord…that Jonathan had placed his trust in when he bravely attacked the Philistine outpost with his armor bearer. It was the Father…the Lord…that David placed His faith in when he stepped out to fight Goliath. Jonathan and David had more than shown their individual devotions to the Lord. Now they would be able to share that devotion as friends for true friends are, first and foremost, one in the Holy Spirit.
But there’s more because Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. The key word here is love…for it’s impossible to have true friendship if you don’t have love. I wrote a quote a long time ago that says, “Communication is the lifeblood of relationship” but then I wrote a second…for “Love is the heartbeat of relationship.” Take love out of a relationship and it dies. And don’t just take my word on it. Recall the words of Jesus when He was asked about the greatest commandment. What did He say?
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' " Matthew 22:36-39
And Jesus wasn’t the first to recite the words, “Love your neighbor as yourself”. No…He got those words from His Father who spoke them in Leviticus:
" 'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” Leviticus 19:18
Being a true friend means that you have to love them the same as you love yourself. And that means you desire to care for them just as you would care for yourself. A true friendship is always balanced in love because that friendship is cemented by the Holy Spirit…the Spirit that will always bind two hearts together in perfect love when any couple allows it to.
So we have seen that true friendship involves being one in the Holy Spirit and balanced in love.
It also requires self sacrifice.
For as we turn back to the passage, we see where Jonathan “took off the robe…and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt”. In other words, Jonathan was willing to freely give David anything he had…such was the level of devotion he held for him. Note that there are no conditions attached to Jonathan’s giving. He gave not because he had to or because he had some motive…something he wanted to gain in return. No, Jonathan gave because he loved David as a true friend and would be willing to do anything for him. And we will see this play out in future scriptures as well.
So our passage today contains a lot in just four verses. For God gives us a glimpse of what true friendship requires…(1) being one in the Holy Spirit…(2) balanced in love…and (3) willing to self sacrifice. Come to think of it…this is why we have such an awesome Friend in Jesus…a Friend we can always count on, no matter what we go through in life…a Friend who will always be one in the Holy Spirit with us…a Friend who will always be balanced in the way He loves…a Friend who showed us the definition of self sacrifice when He allowed Himself to be crucified on the cross to pay the price for our sins.
Friends, I could have made this writing a lot shorter by saying you can only be a true friend when you become a friend like Jesus. But then again…I only wrote the words the Lord…my blessed Friend…gave me today. The words He wanted His true friends to read. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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