Pastor Josiah Kehinde
“When David had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own life. Saul took David that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own life. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, even his sword, his bow, and his girdle.”
1 Samuel 18:1-4 The Amplified Bible
“Now Saul told Jonathan his son and all his servants that they must kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David, and he told David, Saul my father is seeking to kill you. Now therefore, take heed to yourself in the morning, and stay in a secret place and hide yourself. And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are; and I will converse with my father about you and if I learn anything, I will tell you.
And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, Let not the king sin against his servant David, for he has not sinned against you, and his deeds have been of good service to you. For he took his life in his hands and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great deliverance for all Israel; you saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood and kill David without a cause? Saul heeded Jonathan and swore, As the Lord lives, David shall not be slain.”
1 Samuel 19:1-6 The Amplified Bible
Brethren, David and Jonathan shared an amazing friendship. Twice in the above Bible text we read that Jonathan “loved [David] as himself” (1 Samuel 18:1, 3).
Jonathan loved David even though his own father, King Saul, despised him. He looked out for David’s best even when that meant family division and possible detriment to himself. This relationship is seen in the New Testament where the Lord commands us to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 19:19).
Beloved, we have all probably experienced the pain of disappointingly one-sided or narrow friendships. But there is another kind of friendship, one that extends beyond all boundaries. It is the kind of friendship we have with kindred spirits who are committed to sharing life’s journey with us.
David and Jonathan were such friends. Jonathan was “one in spirit” with David and loved him “as himself” (1 Samuel 18:1-3). Although Jonathan would have been next in line to rule after his father Saul’s death, he was loyal to David, God’s chosen replacement. Jonathan even helped David to evade two of Saul’s plots to kill him (19:1-6; 20:1-42).
Despite all odds, Jonathan and David remained friends, pointing to the truth of what the scripture said, “A friend loves at all times, and is born, as is a brother, for adversity.”
Proverbs 17:17 The Amplified Bible
Their faithful friendship also gives us a glimpse of the loving relationship God has with us. “I do not call you servants (slaves) any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing (working out). But I have called you My friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from My Father. [I have revealed to you everything that I have learned from Him.]”
John 15:15 The Amplified Bible
Human friendship has its own limits, subject to various factors, but God is our truest, and very best friend we can ever have. Through friendships like this our understanding of God’s love is deepened. What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins, and griefs He bears. In all our trials and temptations HE stands with us. When discouraged, HE gives us courage. HE shares our sorrows, HE knows our weakness, when we are despised, rejected, and forsaken, HE accepts, love and cares for us. Shalom.
I pray that the Lord will graciously open up doors to true, lasting, and God-centered friendships for you and mercifully elevates your destiny in Jesus name Amen.
I pray that the Lord exposes every unfriendly friends attached to your life, and frustrates their evil devices fashion against your destiny in Jesus name Amen.
*Josiah is a pastor at GPPM, Lagos and could be reached via
+234-805-551-6088 or
pastorjosiahkehinde@gmail.com