Being An Encourager
(Series on encouraging – Part 4)
The soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David,
and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
1 Samuel 18:1.
Jonathan – A Friend In Need
Jonathan was the son of King Saul, who from the age of 30 reigned over Israel for 42 years. Although King Saul did not trust in the Lord, his son Jonathan did and was a close friend to David (future King of Israel). The bond between Jonathan and David was so great that in 1 Samuel 18:1 the Bible say, “the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” I cannot say for certain that I have ever had a bond with a friend that was that close. It is so important to have loyal and supportive friends to help us through our difficult times. When Jonathan’s father King Saul heard that David would become his successor, he went into a jealous rage and set out to kill David. We do not know exactly how many years David was on the run, but when you add up the times he likely spent in various places, it seems that a safe guess would be approximately 8 years. During that time Jonathan was a friend of David who gave him strength and encouragement. The Bible says that every day Saul set out to kill David (1 Sam 23:14), but the faithful bond between him and Jonathan made all the difference in the world. When David was hiding in the woods fearing for his life, the Bible says, “Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God” (1 Samuel 23:16).
Sometimes people can find ourselves in situations where they feel like they are at the edge of a great fall; At such times we need to be that Jonathan in their life and encourage them, particularly if they are in the Lord's service.
Read
1 Samuel 23:14-18.
Prayer
God my Advocate, help me today to come alongside other believers with Your encouragement and strength. In Jesus name. Amen.
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