Friends We Need

“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.’” (1 Samuel 20:42)

I don’t know if I ever had a friend like Jonathan or David. These two men had a love for each other that went beyond anything we might know as friendship. In my experience, people can be BFFs one minute and enemies the next. True friendship is rare. Jean de la Fontaine a famous French poet from the 17th century said, “Rare as is true love, true friendship is rarer.” This is the reason David and Jonathan’s friendship has been spoken about for millennia. Jonathan, son of King Saul, would have given up his right to the throne of Israel for his friend David. There was value beyond material things that came with their friendship. David and Jonathan pledged themselves to one another, which included responsibility for the others family.

Jonathan eventually died in battle. When David was in Power as King, he sought to find if there were any of Jonathan’s children still alive so that he could take care of them. He eventually found and sent for Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, who was hiding far from David whom he feared. Mephibosheth who was crippled expected judgment, but instead received grace abundance and a seat at David’s table because he was Jonathan’s friend.

At one time we were far away from God. Then the Son sought us. He found us and called us to come to Him. When we did finally come we may have been expecting judgment, instead we got acceptance, forgiveness and a seat at God’s table of grace.

Jesus said, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends.” As rare as it is, we can have intimate friendship with the Creator of the universe who loves not for what we’ve done but for who we are.