When the servant had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone Ezel, fell facedown to the ground, and paid homage three times. Then he and Jonathan kissed each other and wept with each other, though David wept more. (1 Samuel 20:41)
We have been reading in 1 Samuel about the strong friendship between David and Jonathan. As Saul continues to feel threatened by David, it is making it hard for David to stay around and continue his close friendship with Saul’s son, Jonathan. David and Jonathan had a strong bond of friendship. They probably envisioned a life of working together, as friends, with their families spending lots of time together. But those future plans had to be scrapped because David couldn’t stay and Jonathan couldn’t leave. The friendship of David and Jonathan is a good reminder for us to build strong friendships with those that God has placed in our paths.
Do you have a close friend or two that knows your dreams? Do they know what struggles you face as you try to live a life that pleases and honors our Lord? Can they speak God’s truth into your life? How do we start to look for these types of friendships? First and foremost we can commit to praying and asking God to provide someone who can be a friend that can help us to grow in our walk with Jesus. Maybe there is a brother or sister in your community group that you can make extra time to invest in talking, sharing, and praying for each other.
David and Jonathan didn’t know where their friendship would take them when they first met each other. Yet, the characteristics that they displayed in their friendship is a good reminder for us as we seek to build strong friendships. The characteristics of loyalty, faith in God, and being supportive and looking out for the betterment of the other person are traits that we should have in us as we pursue building strong friendships. In this new year of 2021, let’s ask God to make us into people who desire strong friendships with other Christians and who aren’t afraid if these future friendships have to end abruptly. Rather, we will cherish each day that God gives us to build these strong friendships.