Key Relationships

(1 Samuel 18:1-3)

This morning I continue our series entitled, “Standing on a Word from God.”  This is Part 55 of the series and Part 27 of the life of David.  

After David killed the giant and the Israelite army finished off the Philistines, David met with king Saul and he got to meet the king’s son, prince Jonathan.  When the two met they immediately connected. This was a supernatural connection.  The Bible says “there was an immediate bond between them, for Jonathan loved David.”  The Bible goes on to say that Jonathan “loved him as he loved himself.”  To seal the relationship, Jonathan entered into a covenant with David by swearing a solemn pact,  Jonathan took off his robe and gave it to David, along with his tunic, sword, bow, and belt. Symbolically, this meant that Jonathan was giving David everything he had.  Spiritually, it meant the two men were in covenant.  Jonathan’s father, king Saul, sanctioned the relationship and welcomed David into the palace.  David would never again live in Bethlehem. On a day when David was simply running an errand for his father, a funny thing happened on the way to lunch, he wound up killing a giant, and his life changed forever.

David had no way of knowing what Jonathan was going to mean to him.  Jonathan, the son of Saul, would eventually help David escape the attacks of his father, at the risk of his own life.  On more than one occasion Jonathan would be attributed with saving David’s life. Jonathan was being groomed to be king and he wound up establishing a covenant relationship with the man who would take his place.  

Jonathan also had no way of knowing what David would mean to him.  In addition to providing a special friendship while they were alive, David’s love and commitment to Jonathan would survive his death.  Jonathan had no way of knowing that both he and his father would die on the same day and that his son, Mephibosheth, an heir to the throne, would wind up crippled living in a barren place (LoDebar).  It was David who, because of his love for Jonathan, would later redeem Mephibosheth from LoDebar and restore him to the king’s palace.

David could not have planned a better relationship if he tried.  David did nothing to start the relationship. I believe the Lord was behind the special relationship.  I believe the Lord planned this relationship before the foundations of the world, because David needed Jonathan and Jonathan needed David.  Let’s stop here for today.

So what does this mean to you today?  A few things:

1.  There are no lone rangers in the Body of Christ.  You will never maximize your purpose and potential without the assistance of others.  I run into people all the time who say things like, “I don’t need anyone,” or “I am fine all by myself,” but if the truth be told these statements are birthed out of pain.  People say things like this because they have been hurt. That’s understandable.  People can be messy. Dealing with people can be painful. But no matter how bad you have been hurt by people, you need others and others need you.  As a believer you must allow the love of God to wash your hurt away. If you allow God to heal your heart, He will, and you will be able to welcome the relationships He has ordained for you to have.

2.  Covenant Relationships are special.  The word “friend” is used very loosely today — especially when people have thousands of “friends” on Facebook — but God given friends should be cherished.  I believe the Lord helped set up the relationship between Jonathan and David and if you take the time to acknowledge it, you will find that He has done the same for you.  The Father sends people our way, so we can be a blessing to them and so they can be a blessing to us. Life is better lived when enjoyed with the company of great friends.  

3.  Divine friends help usher us into our purpose.  If it were not for Jonathan we may not be reading about David.  Jonathan helped protect David from the attacks of his own father, king Saul.  Jonathan did this to help shield David for his divine assignment, even if it meant that David would eventually take his place as king and successor to his own father.  This was a divine connection. We all need people like Jonathan in our lives. If we open our hearts to God and His grace, we will be in position to also open our hearts to key and critical relationships that will help us become the men/women we were born to be.

4.  Friends help friends out of love.  Jonathan helped David, even when it meant going against his father.  He did this purely out of the love of God. And David helped Jonathan, even after he was dead, honoring Jonathan’s injured son.  David did this out of the love of God as wel. When you operate in God’s love you are able to help your friends because you simply want to help, not because you are looking for anything in return.  We all need people like this in our lives, because these are the types of relationships that help us endure for the long haul. So we can hold on long enough to see the manifestation of God’s promises in our lives.  Waiting on God’s promises is not easy, but having good people around you, people of like-precious-faith, will help you stand until you see what God said!

Closing Confession:  

Father, this is a season of expectation for me.  I expect Your best, which is my I open my heart to covenant relationships.  I acknowledge the fact that I will not be able to maximize my purpose or potential in life without others.  I cannot do it by myself. I am not a lone ranger and I won’t even attempt to be one. I need You and I need others.  I need the special people You have ordained to be a part of my life. I also know that they need me. So I release any pain from my past and I open my heart to receive the covenant relationships You desire for me to have.  I also commit to being a blessing to my friends, because I love them, without any expectation of anything in return. My friends will be part of my life’s story and I shall be part of theirs. And when we get to heaven we will be able to continue the fellowship.  I thank You Father for blessing me to have great friends. I enjoy them, they enjoy me, and together we leave a mark in this world that will not easily be erased! On this thanksgiving week I thank You for my friends and family, and I am determined TO BE a blessing to them as we get together.  I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

This is Today’s Word!  Apply it and Prosper.