“Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing”

— John 15:4-5

This is a weekly reflection on the previous week’s sermon text. Each week there will be a devotional related to the scripture for the week, along with questions for reflection/discussion, as well as prayer. Feel free to make this a part of your individual spiritual growth throughout the week or utilize in small group settings (growth groups, Sunday school, etc.)

Read I Samuel chapters 18 and 20

As we continue our series on King David, today we focus on the relationship between David and Jonathan. Jonathan was the son of King Saul and in chapter 18 we are informed of a close friendship between Jonathan and David. They became like brothers. However, David’s relationship with King Saul went in another direction entirely. Saul became extremely jealous of David and in his extreme anger and paranoia tried to kill David numerous times.

Obviously, it reached a point where David needed to run away from Saul and that meant leaving Jonathan as well. In chapter 20 their final meeting was recorded: “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.’”

What stands out to me the most in this passage is the phrase “but David wept the most”. There are multiple reasons as to why David wept the most, not least of which was his sadness for his friend Jonathan and the reality that Jonathan was stuck with his father Saul. I also think David wept because he realized that Jonathan was perhaps his only true friend who saw him for being David and not “the guy who defeated Goliath”.

Perhaps you are thinking of those kinds of friends you have in your life – the ones who love you for being you and not anything else. So many relationships are transactional in nature, but friendship at its best is anything but transactional. I like how Aristotle described friendship: “Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies.” I think that sums up the story of Jonathan and David and captures friendship at its best.

Prayer: “Loving God, may we show our love for you today by being true friends and loving one another unconditionally as you have loved us in Christ. Amen.”

QUESTION FOR REFLECTION:

I once read a quote about the definition of a real friend: “A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” Who has been that kind of friend for you?
In what ways can we truly be friends with others without strings attached?
Great friends are great listeners. How do you practice active listening and truly empathize with others?
In John 15:12-17 Jesus said to his disciples: “My command is this: love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I have learned from my Father I have made known to you…this is my command: love each other.” If we want to be friends with Jesus, the path is clearly defined - love one another. For in sacrificially loving one another we are loving Christ himself. How might this concept change how you think about friendship?

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