Jonathan

Day 06

The Covenant of Friendship

And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
(1 Samuel 18:3)

The deep friendship between Jonathan and David is surprising for a number of reasons. First, God selected David instead of Jonathan (son of Saul and prince of Israel) to become the second king of Israel. Second, Jonathan’s father, Saul was intensely jealous of David and tried repeatedly to kill him. Third, David was a multi-talented individual who was much more popular with the masses than either Saul or Jonathan. Jonathan and David should have been at least wary of each other, if not outright enemies. Yet they were able to overcome these potential obstacles and forge a model friendship. Perhaps the outstanding quality of their relationship was loyalty. That loyalty was grounded in a profound devotion to God. This higher commitment is what enabled their friendship not just to survive but to thrive in times of confusion and conflict. Are you a fair-weather friend? Do you walk away from relationships when difficulties arise? Do you defend a friend under attack? Can you rejoice when friends succeed, or are you secretly jealous and bitter? If your human relationships are weak, examine the depth of your loyalty to God. You may be surprised at what you find. Terrific friendships are sustained by loyalty.

What is God saying to you right now? Jot down those thoughts and pray them back to Him.

This devotion was taken from: The One Year Life Lessons from the Bible; April 12; by Neil S. Wilson