Jonathan

Someone said, “A friend who understands your tears is much more valuable than a lot of friends who only know your smile.”  Most people tend to have a lot of friends or at least “friendly associates,” but the truth is, you need at least one friend who will always be there when you need them.  You need a friend that is going to tell you the truth about things that really matter.  You need a friend you can count on and will come to your rescue, defends, and is sensitive to your needs.  Not only do we need a friend like that, but we need to be a friend like that!

In the story of David and Goliath, after David killed Goliath, King Saul would not let David return home.  David was held in such high esteem after this victory that the King ordered his alligience.  On the same day David killed Goliath and gave Israel victory over the Philistines, David lost his freedom to go to home to his father’s house, but he gained a real friend.

SCRIPTURES

“Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.“  I Samuel 18:1-3

Think about this, King Saul took away David’s freedom to go to his father’s house, but God gave David a friend. The world we live in will constantly rob you, but God will be faithful to give to you.  He knows when you need a friend.  Jonathan’s name means, “Yahweh gives.” and God gave Jonathan to David as a friend, one that “sticks closer than a brother.” 

What do God-sent friends do?

1.  They share their heart without fear.  “No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. 14 “You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 “I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father.”  John 15:13-15 
2. They don’t allow petty things to separate them.  “A man [who has] friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend [who] sticks closer than a brother.“ Proverbs 18:24
3. They live in mutual humility towards each other.  “[Let] nothing [be done] through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3-4
4. They come to your defense.  “Thus Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works [have been] very good toward you.“ I Samuel 19:4
5. They always find room for forgiveness for each other. “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.“ Luke 6:37

The “To Do” list of a God-sent friend continues on, but the question remains, do you have one?  Are you one to someone?  If you don’t, ask Him.  And always remember, you do have a God-sent friend in Jesus who is sensitive to your every need.  He is the friend you can count on and call on at any time.  He will never abandon you, but He will always be the perfect friend you need.