“Go In Peace, For We Have Sworn Friendship”

“Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” Jonathan asked his father. But Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him. Then Jonathan knew that his father intended to kill David.

Jonathan got up from the table in fierce anger; on that second day of the feast he did not eat, because he was grieved at his father’s shameful treatment of David.

In the morning Jonathan went out to the field for his meeting with David. He had a small boy with him, and he said to the boy, “Run and find the arrows I shoot.” As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. When the boy came to the place where Jonathan’s arrow had fallen, Jonathan called out after him, “Isn’t the arrow beyond you?” Then he shouted, “Hurry! Go quickly! Don’t stop!” The boy picked up the arrow and returned to his master. (The boy knew nothing about all this; only Jonathan and David knew.) Then Jonathan gave his weapons to the boy and said, “Go, carry them back to town.”

After the boy had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone and bowed down before Jonathan three times, with his face to the ground. Then they kissed each other and wept together—but David wept the most.

Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.’” Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town.

1 Samuel 20:32-42

Men first bond together as they work together. The men begin to share a sense of mutual respect. Jonathan and David modeled this relationship as well. Circumstances tested their friendship when David suspected that King Saul wanted him dead.

When Saul’s deadly intent became clear, the friends wept together and Jonathan blessed David as he fled.

You have a genuine friend in Jesus if you have accepted His offer of salvation – a friend who is always loyal; one who helps you when you stumble. He has shown you the greatest love one friend can have for another – love that led Him to sacrifice His life for you.

Jesus is your most trusted Friend.

Our Daily Bread – October 18, 2014