Another passage describes it as, "...the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul." 1 Samuel 18:1.
And David's felt the same way. Here is how he described his feelings after Jonathan passed on:
"I am distressed for you, my brother, Jonathan; greatly beloved were you to me; your love to me was wonderful; surpassing the love of women" (2 Sam 1:26).
Their friendship didn't just happen though. It was intentional and it was nurtured. See 1 Samuel 18:3-4. They didn't just connect on social media and left the rest to become history. They actually connected and made a pledge of loyalty of sort.
Some people joy in being alone...but woe to him who has no friends! What will he do in the day of adversity? Two can get each other's back and keep eachother warm in this sokewhat cold world.
Some people joy in being a social butterfly and cheerleader of people's party...but how many of these people are really reliable? So woe to him who has too many unreliable friends...lol...that too will bring too much trouble:
"One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24
On love and friendship, here is the standard to be copied:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:16
Friendship is love...
Love is giving...love is also receiving...Love is a verb.
When you read Jonathan and David's story, you will see that it was not all mushy-mushy. The men risked their lives for eachother. The bond was even transgenerational! Jonathan's grandson, Mephibosheth, was impacted positively by this friendship. (2 Samuel 9:1).
It is the end of the year and I am thankful for the friends and family that God has blessed me with. But I'm thinking, Lord how can I improve the quality of my friendship? How can I love intentionally and selflessly like You do? How can I be passionately in love (not just by feeling) and allow my soul knit to another's like David and Jonathan?
Teach me Lord! Take me to a higher level of this love that is your nature (1 John 4:7-8)! God is love!
Words to live by:
1 Corinthians 13:1-10
The Message (MSG)
The Way of Love
13 If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.
2 If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing.
3-7 If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
8-10 Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled."
So help me God. Amen.
Shalom!
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