Read 1 Samuel 23:15-18
Discover
1. How did Jonathan encourage David?
2. What do these verses show us about Jonathan’s priorities?
3. What do they show us about David and Jonathan’s friendship?
Respond
This interaction is one of the last we see between David and Jonathan, and it highlights the depth of their friendship despite facing immense challenges. David was still being hunted down by Saul, and Saul’s very son, who deserved the throne by all worldly standards, showed incredible humility and loyalty to his friend.
Jonathan encouraged David to keep his eyes on God and to trust the plan God had laid out for him, despite how his circumstances looked. Then Jonathan reaffirmed his loyalty to David, coming full circle from their initial meeting and pact of friendship (1 Samuel 18:1-4).
In your friendships, do you go out of your way to remind others to keep their eyes on God and trust Him, similar to how Jonathan encouraged David? Do you reaffirm your loyalty and care for your friends, regardless of circumstances? Spend a few minutes praying through your friendships now. Ask God to give you a heart that seeks Him first and then in turn encourages others to look to Him for comfort, confidence, and hope.
Want to go deeper? Read Psalm 54 to see how David turned His eyes toward God as Jonathan urged him to do. This Psalm is thought to have been written regarding David’s time of hiding in the Desert of Ziph.