“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” — Proverbs 17:17
Well known is the story of two young men in the Bible ; David and Jonathan; a future king on the run and the son of the king who was pursuing him. Their story is one beautiful picture of friendship in Scripture.
As I was reading about their lives, I couldn’t help but admire the friendship they shared. David was going through one of the hardest seasons of his life, constantly running from Saul, who was determined to kill him. Yet, in the middle of all that uncertainty, God gave him Jonathan.
Jonathan was such a blessing to David. Even though Saul was his own father, he made sure to alert David whenever Saul was planning to kill him. This is beautifully seen in 1 Samuel 20. David was convinced that he was going to die. Fear had clouded his heart, but Jonathan refused to let him lose hope. He risked his own relationship with his father to make sure David was safe.
What amazes me even more is what happened later in the Desert of Ziph. This time, Jonathan didn’t go to David with news about Saul or with a strategy for escape. Instead, he went to help him find strength in God. He gave him faith to lean on and helped him renew his strength. He simply came to lift his spirit. It’s a reminder that sometimes, what a friend needs most is someone who will remind them of God’s faithfulness, encourage them to trust Him, and strengthen their hearts.
Throughout their story, you could see David and Jonathan’s friendship was rooted in their reverence for the Lord. They made covenants and oaths before God , promising loyalty and protection to one another and to their generations to come. Those covenants were a revelation of what lay at the heart of their friendship: God . Every promise they made to one another was first made before Him.
Perhaps the greatest display of Jonathan’s character was his response to God’s choice of David. Under a hereditary monarchy, I imagine Jonathan was the rightful heir to the throne. Yet he knew that the Lord had chosen David, and instead of fighting for the throne, he chose to support his friend. That kind of humility is admirable. If he had carried the same jealousy and hatred as his father, David probably wouldn’t have survived. Yet Jonathan laid aside what could have been his own ambition because he trusted God’s will.
And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God.“Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.”1 Samuel 23:16-17
Stories like these remind us that friendships are one of the beautiful gifts the Lord has given us. To share life with people, to celebrate together, to stand with one another just like David and Jonathan, to encourage and strengthen one another, and to enjoy the things we love together, what a blessing! Through such friendships, we catch a glimpse of God’s love expressed through the people He places around us.
Take a look at the people around you,your friends. May we be encouraged to be grateful for them, to cherish them, and to share in the love the Lord has so graciously given us through them.
~Gift.
