A Good Friend

Today’s Passage – 1 Samuel 19 – 21 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Matthew 7 – 8Proverbs 4Psalm 16 – 20

Scripture Memorization for March – John 1:1 – 18

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song –  Micah 6:8

Read a previous post from this passage – “Envy

Read the “0404 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father. And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not: But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth. So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David’s enemies. And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul. … And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded. And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.” (1 Samuel 20:13-17, 41-42)

“A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24)

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

David and Jonathan were good friends, and their friendship passed a test that proved its genuineness. Jonathan was placed in a very difficult situation. He was torn between being loyal to his father, and being faithful to his friend. Jonathan’s father, Saul, was clearly in the wrong, as Jonathan could easily see. Saul was insecure, and desparately afraid of David, though David did nothing but demonstrate loyalty and allegiance to King Saul. Jonathan had to choose between his friend David, and his father. This was cetainly not an easy choice because by choosing David, Jonathan was basically relinquishing his right to the throne. Had Jonathan allowed his father to kill David, Jonathan would have become the next king of Israel, instead of David. Jonathan chose the will of God, and his friendship, over his own selfish ambition.

David never forgot the kindness and friendship of Jonathan, even after Jonathan’s death. Years later, when David was sitting on the throne of Israel, he sought out Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth. (See 2 Samuel 9) David brought Mephibosheth from Lodebar, and and gave him a place of great prominence in his kingdom:

“And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.” (2 Samuel 9:7)

God has blessed me with a few very good friends: people who I believe would die for me. There is really no greater asset in life than having a friend that will love you, support you, counsel you, serve you, and defend you. Of course, the greatest friend to all of us is the Lord Jesus, but it is also very good to know that God gives us some people here on earth whose hearts will be knit with ours. I only hope that I can be as good a friend to them as they are to me.


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