Friendship is a much underestimated aspect of spirituality. It is every bit as significant as prayer and fasting.

📝 David’s victory over the Philistine has brought him into the public sphere. After killing Goliath, Saul drafted David – the young hero to join his staff.

☂️ FRIENDSHIP IS MAKING A BRIDGE BETWEEN TWO PERSONS

Jonathan takes an immediate liking to David (…” Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved David as himself “18:1 ) .

📌 Jonathan pledged his loyalty and friendship in a covenant, which he confirmed by giving David his robe , tunic , sword, bow and belt ( 18:3-4 )
📌 By giving his robe away, Jonathan could have been willingly transfering his claim to the throne to David ( 23:17 ; 24:20 )

📌 The affection David receives is coupled with military successes. It is recorded four times that David was successful ( 18:5, 14,15,30 ) . As a result he is rewarded with a leadership position in the army, which pleases both the soldiers and the officers .

☂️ TRUE FRIENDSHIP DEMANDS FAITHFULNESS
📌 Jonathan’s friendship was essential to David’s life .
📌 Jonathan lived out his covenantal friendship with David in hard circumstances.
📌 Friendship with David complicated Jonathan’s life enormously. He risked losing his father’s favour and willingly sacrificed his own royal future 🙌

☂️ TRUE FRIENDSHIP MOTIVATES TO TAKE RISKS
📝 Saul’s jealousy and suspicion of David has developed into an obsession ! In Chapter 19 , Saul makes four attempts on David’s life. He no longer hides his intention but speaks about it to his courtiers and Jonathan. But Jonathan discloses his father’s plan to David and offers to be his advocate with Saul ( 19:2-3 )

📝 Saul starts hunting for David ( Chapter 18,19, 20 ) . But Jonathan offers to do anything he can for David ( 20:4 ) . All the circumstances didn’t cancel out the covenant ; rather the Covenant was used in the purposes of God to overcome the circumstances 🙌

📌 Without Jonathan, David was at risk of either abandoning his vocation and returning to the simple life of tending sheep.

📌 David accepted Jonathan’s friendship and in receiving it received confirmation of Samuel’s “earlier message during the anointment “.

☂️ TRUE FRIENDSHIP LAST LONG
Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord…. ” then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town ( 20:42 )
📌 Jonathan never saw David again after helping him escape from Saul. Thus, Jonathan proved himself to be a GOOD STEWARD of FRIENDSHIP 👬

💞 BE A STEWARD OF FRIENDSHIP 👬
Beloved Church, we know that David was a great hero of the Bible but we admire Jonathan for his noble concern and valued the friendship :
🔖 Although Jonathan was a crown prince, he befriends a common man.
🔖 Jonathan’s loyalty was costly. Caught between Saul and David, he took risks for David, and David had to depend on Jonathan for his life.
🔖 Jonathan honoured his relationship with his father by remaining with Saul till death, as a good son .
🔖 He shows that life is not about good times and self gratification but involves responsibilities and commitment to relationships

✅Yes , it is great thing to be a Jonathan. True friendship transcends necessity, convenience, utility and even mere pleasure.

✅We all have a FRIEND who is greater than Jonathan. His name is Jesus Christ who said,
“I no longer call you SERVANTS, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you FRIENDS , for everything that I learned from my friend I have made known to you” ( John 15:15 )
“I am the GOOD SHEPHERD.. and I laid down my life for the sheep.. ” ( John 10:14-18 )

🎶🎤 ~

What a friend we have in Jesus..

Glory to God 🙌
✍🏻 Mark Boje
Arunachal Pradesh, India 🇮🇳