True Friends

True Friends

Bible:1 Samuel 18:1-4; 19:1-6

A friend loves at all times (PROVERBS 17:17).

Reading

In school, I had a ‘sometimes’ friend. We were friends at our small church (where I was nearly the only girl her age), and sometimes we hung out together outside of school. But at school, it was a different story. If she met me by herself, she might say hello; but only if no one else was around. Realising this, I didn’t try to get her attention within school walls. I knew the limits of our friendship. We’ve probably all experienced the pain of disappointingly one-sided or narrow friendships. But there’s another kind of friendship—one that goes the distance, not matter what. It’s the kind of friendship we have with our best friends; people we totally ‘click’ with. David and Jonathan were friends like this. Jonathan was “one in spirit” with David and loved him “as himself” (1 SAMUEL 18:1-3). Although Jonathan would have been next in line to rule after his dad Saul’s death, he was loyal to David, God’s chosen replacement. Jonathan even helped David to escape two of Saul’s plots to kill him (19:1-6; 20:1-42). Despite being on opposite sides, Jonathan and David stayed true friends— living out Proverbs 17:17: “A friend loves at all times.” Their friendship also gives us a glimpse of the loving relationship God has with us (JOHN 3:16; 15:15). Through friendships like theirs, our understanding of God’s love is deepened.

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST HAS MADE US
FRIENDS OF GOD. ROMANS 5:11 NLT

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