Jonathan: A True Example Of Demonstrable Love!”

“Jonathan: A True Example Of Demonstrable Love!”
We end this week with a demonstration of loving your neighbour as yourself. David had just killed Goliath. King Saul wanted to know whose son David was. David was still holding the severed head of Goliath when Abner brought him before Saul. “After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and loved him as himself…Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.” Symbolically he even intuitively handed his right of ‘heir apparent’ as he “took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt” David’s loyal service to the king endeared him to the king who gave him a high rank in the army (I Sam.17:55-18:5).
Jonathan saw in David someone who qualified for royalty. And when his father became jealoused of David and tried to kill him, Jonathan demonstrated that he loved David like himself; he defended David. He spoke well of David and begged his father not to kill David an innocent man (I Sam. 6-19:7).
Over time when Saul was still seething with anger against David, Jonathan made a plan for David to escape for his life (I Sam.20:42).
Indeed, when you have the seal of approval from the Lord your enemies will conspire against you, then come back to tell you about the conspiracy. David brought honour to king Saul and to all Israel by killing the dreaded giant Goliath, but all he got from the king was jealousy and conspiracies to eliminate him. Unfortunately for Saul God had David’s back! God was with David. True love for David caused Jonathan the hier apparent to see in David someone who was worthier than himself to rule over Israel. And he did everything to keep David safe for that purpose; notwithstanding the threats from his own father. He counted his richest gain as loss as he sacrificed it for God’s plan to be fulfilled in David.
Jonathan truly loved David like himself! Can I love as such! Can you love as such? Not withstanding the depth of Jonathan’s love for David, God’s love for you and I is far deeper than the deepest deeps and higher than the highest heights. Such that while we were yet sinners he sent his Son to die for us.
And his prayer for us is that we may be one and that the love which the Father has for the Son may be with us too.
Weekend prayer: Lord bind us together with cords of love that enables us to recognise and acknowledge those you have earmarked for particular services. Amen!
Have a blessed weekend! Peace be with you!
Babila Fochang.