Go in peace, since both of us have sworn in the name of the LORD , saying, ‘The LORD shall be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants, forever.’
Jonathan, Saul’s son has befriended David. Saul originally loved and supported David, but eventually it seems felt threatened. Saul became fixated on destroying David, despite David being his son-in-law, and his own son’s best friend. Both Saul’s daughter Michal, and son Jonathan took great steps to save David’s life, against the known wishes of their father.
Eventually, it becomes clear Saul will not stop until he’s killed David. His son Jonathan works out an arrangement with David to alert him if this is the case. And unfortunately it is. So despite being deeply loving friends, David and Jonathan part ways, so David can be safe, out of the reach of Saul.
The whole reading is sad. David loses his mentor and father figure, Saul. And he loses a friend he loved deeply. David and Jonathan gave up everything to save David’s life. Actually, almost everything. What they kept was the knowledge of their deep and abiding friendship, and a three-way covenant between them and God. At their parting, Jonathan reminds David that the Lord shall between the two of them and their descendants forever.
People married in a Christian ceremony say that the two are being united in God forever, that God is present in this now three-way covenant. But until today, I hadn’t really thought about that same three-way relationship with friends and God. But clearly, that’s what Jonathan and David are cementing as they depart from each other.
This morning, I’m thinking about the friends I have and how God is involved in those relationships, bidden or unbidden. Like the friend who texted me this morning, grateful for me and noting that she was sad that Jonathan lost his BFF. Even with distance, friendship remains. And even future generations will know of our friendship. My daughter has referred to one of her friends as “my Katherine”. I love the notion that friendship, like marriage is united in and by God. Good friends, casual acquaintances, colleagues. For people of faith, God is involved in our relationships, in the space between two people. Today, I want to see if I can recognize that.
No comments:
Post a Comment