As you face the struggles of life, the enemy is quick to pounce seeming to attack from all angles until you find yourself in retreat.
In the process, you sometimes can’t help but ask yourself “why me?”
It’s easy to feel alone, but it’s important to be reminded that your most loyal friend is close by, and He’s got your back.
David and Jonathan’s friendship provides a model of God’s Love as that reminder.
Imagine how David must have felt — for the same thing happened to him as he “fled from Naioth in Ramah and found Jonathan (l Samuel 20:1 NLT).”
“What have I done?” he exclaimed. “What is my crime? How have I offended your father that he is so determined to kill me (l Samuel 20:1 NLT)?”
David struggled to understand why he was hated so much in the heart of Saul.
Yet, even so, his best friend Jonathan — who was also the son of his enemy — continued to remain loyal to him.
Jonathan even went as far as aiding in David’s escape; “The day after tomorrow evening, go to the place where you hid before, and wait there by the stone pile (l Samuel 20:19 NLT).”
Try and visualize what must have been running through David’s mind at that moment as he is forced to hide away and await Jonathan’s signal.
What if that signal had never come? What if Jonathan had instead revealed David’s whereabouts to his father?
Do we ourselves not think the absolute worst at times, rather than trust in the person that has vowed to stand by us? For we may be sure of God’s love one moment — positive that nothing can shake it — until one life circumstance or another tests our faith.
However, such a thought had never crossed David’s mind because the relationship he had with Jonathan was so deeply rooted in love.
We see this as they reaffirm their friendship time and time again; “And Jonathan made David reaffirm his vow of friendship again, for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself (l Samuel 20:17 NLT).”
When David tells Jonathan of Saul’s plan, Jonathan even goes to say, “That’s not true! You’re not going to die. He always tells me everything he’s going to do, even the little things. I know my father wouldn’t hide something like this from me. It just isn’t so (l Samuel 20:2 NLT)!”
But even in his disbelief, Jonathan doesn’t turn his back on him, “Tell me what I can do to help you (l Samuel 20:4 NLT).”
Just as “Jonathan loved David as he loved himself (l Samuel 20:17 NLT),” God loves us all the same.
“At last Jonathan said to David, ‘Go in peace, for we have sworn loyalty to each other in the Lord’s name. The Lord is the witness of a bond between us and our children forever (l Samuel 20:42 NLT).’”
God wants this same type of bond with us — but for all time and all eternity. While some friendships last but a few years — and/or prove to be fleeting — His is forever.
In turn, I ask that you might pray with me for those who feel forgotten by God — that they might be reminded of His everlasting love.
For, it is through His Word that we can begin to see just how devoted He is to us.
In turn, David and Jonathan’s friendship doesn’t serve as just a story, but as a model of God’s love for us.
