1 Samuel 20:24-42
It's time to eat dinner with the king, and David's nowhere to be found. Saul's sitting across from Jonathan. The first day after the New Moon, Saul realizes that David hasn't been there. He asks Jonathan, "Where's that son of Jesse? He wasn't here yesterday or today?"
Jonathan responded, "He asked permission to visit his family in Bethlehem. His brothers ordered that he return for a reunion."
Saul blew a fuse and screamed, "You son of a bitch! Do you not think I know you're in cahoots with the son of Jesse? You've disgraced your mother and I! Go get him and bring him to me!"
Saul threw his spear at Jonathan this time. This solidified the truth for Jon that his father was fixated on killing David. Jon escaped the flying spear of his father and ran out the door furious. He couldn't believe that his dad had been trying to kill David behind his back. He couldn't believe his dad just tried to nail him to the wall with a spear. He ran out as fast as he could to meet David in the field where he was hiding, and took a young servant with him.
When they got to the field, Jon shot an arrow just as he had rehearsed with David. He shot it far. He yelled to the servant who was running to retrieve the arrow, "Go further! Hurry!"
Hearing this as he hid nearby, David knew that he was about to say goodbye to his best friend. Staying in the same town as Saul would be suicide. After the servant returns the arrow, Jon sends him back home so he can have a heart to heart with David.
David comes out of hiding to meet Jon. He prostrates three times in adoration and submission to his best friend Jon. He's overwhelmed by how Jon has risked his life to keep him safe. They embrace each other, kissing each other and Jon reminds them of their covenant with God: "Our friendship is God's covenant between us and our children forever."
I've never done well at saying goodbye, especially to close friends. Geography always plays a major role in the upkeep of relationships, so I tend to emotionally and spiritually withdraw from friends I move away from. It seems too hard to maintain contact. Maybe it's because I'm afraid of not being able to put in the same amount of effort. Maybe it's because I'm weary of not getting the full benefits that I once got from late night conversations over coffee, or trips to the bay, or simply talking about life.
Jon and David do something that intrigues me. They aren't about to let geography or time stand in the way of their friendship. They make a covenant with God, promising to each other to stay loyal. They don't see geography, danger, or moving on in life as obstacles. They are willing to put their friendship above all of that.
As I look back over all the friends I've had in the past, some I considered my best friends at the time, I realize I hardly have anything to show for it. I've let geography, new directions, and new obligations stand in the way. There was never a covenant made for our friendship on my part. I considered it a season, and seasons change.
The biggest thing I take from this story is how petrified I am of making covenants. Whether it be a weekly commitment to showing up to something, the thought of committing to a wife, or a covenant with a best friend, it freaks me out. Because of my fear of commitment, I turn into a pinball. I bounce off of friends, small groups, goals, interests, etc. Yet, there have been those few who have put up with me, stuck with me and my quirks, and continue to push me to keep going. We all know who these friends are. They're probably the ones who are doing most of the work of maintaining the relationship. What does it look like to make a covenant with them? What does it look like to draw up some sort of commitment to staying together through hell or high water? What does it look like to do this before God?
These are things I'm going to think about today. I know who these friends are in my life. I know that I'm not good at relationships. I know that I spend way too much time worrying that the relationship is going to fall apart, and worrying what life's going to be like when that person's not in my life anymore. Maybe the best thing I can do is to make a covenant with the people in my life who I consider life long friends. I'm going to thing about that.
Today's Action: Make a list of the people in my life who I consider "lifers." Think of a creative way to take each of these relationships and make a covenant with God, promising to stick together through hell or high water.
It's time to eat dinner with the king, and David's nowhere to be found. Saul's sitting across from Jonathan. The first day after the New Moon, Saul realizes that David hasn't been there. He asks Jonathan, "Where's that son of Jesse? He wasn't here yesterday or today?"
Jonathan responded, "He asked permission to visit his family in Bethlehem. His brothers ordered that he return for a reunion."
Saul blew a fuse and screamed, "You son of a bitch! Do you not think I know you're in cahoots with the son of Jesse? You've disgraced your mother and I! Go get him and bring him to me!"
Saul threw his spear at Jonathan this time. This solidified the truth for Jon that his father was fixated on killing David. Jon escaped the flying spear of his father and ran out the door furious. He couldn't believe that his dad had been trying to kill David behind his back. He couldn't believe his dad just tried to nail him to the wall with a spear. He ran out as fast as he could to meet David in the field where he was hiding, and took a young servant with him.
When they got to the field, Jon shot an arrow just as he had rehearsed with David. He shot it far. He yelled to the servant who was running to retrieve the arrow, "Go further! Hurry!"
Hearing this as he hid nearby, David knew that he was about to say goodbye to his best friend. Staying in the same town as Saul would be suicide. After the servant returns the arrow, Jon sends him back home so he can have a heart to heart with David.
David comes out of hiding to meet Jon. He prostrates three times in adoration and submission to his best friend Jon. He's overwhelmed by how Jon has risked his life to keep him safe. They embrace each other, kissing each other and Jon reminds them of their covenant with God: "Our friendship is God's covenant between us and our children forever."
I've never done well at saying goodbye, especially to close friends. Geography always plays a major role in the upkeep of relationships, so I tend to emotionally and spiritually withdraw from friends I move away from. It seems too hard to maintain contact. Maybe it's because I'm afraid of not being able to put in the same amount of effort. Maybe it's because I'm weary of not getting the full benefits that I once got from late night conversations over coffee, or trips to the bay, or simply talking about life.
Jon and David do something that intrigues me. They aren't about to let geography or time stand in the way of their friendship. They make a covenant with God, promising to each other to stay loyal. They don't see geography, danger, or moving on in life as obstacles. They are willing to put their friendship above all of that.
As I look back over all the friends I've had in the past, some I considered my best friends at the time, I realize I hardly have anything to show for it. I've let geography, new directions, and new obligations stand in the way. There was never a covenant made for our friendship on my part. I considered it a season, and seasons change.
The biggest thing I take from this story is how petrified I am of making covenants. Whether it be a weekly commitment to showing up to something, the thought of committing to a wife, or a covenant with a best friend, it freaks me out. Because of my fear of commitment, I turn into a pinball. I bounce off of friends, small groups, goals, interests, etc. Yet, there have been those few who have put up with me, stuck with me and my quirks, and continue to push me to keep going. We all know who these friends are. They're probably the ones who are doing most of the work of maintaining the relationship. What does it look like to make a covenant with them? What does it look like to draw up some sort of commitment to staying together through hell or high water? What does it look like to do this before God?
These are things I'm going to think about today. I know who these friends are in my life. I know that I'm not good at relationships. I know that I spend way too much time worrying that the relationship is going to fall apart, and worrying what life's going to be like when that person's not in my life anymore. Maybe the best thing I can do is to make a covenant with the people in my life who I consider life long friends. I'm going to thing about that.
Today's Action: Make a list of the people in my life who I consider "lifers." Think of a creative way to take each of these relationships and make a covenant with God, promising to stick together through hell or high water.
I hope that our family will be on the list. We can come to Galveston and hang out with you, too! We love the beach, you know.
ReplyDelete--Kim