Love As You Love Yourself
Opening Prayer
Loving Lord, I thank You today for all the people in my life whom I love and who love me.
Read 1 Samuel 20:1-17
[1] Then David fled from Naioth at Ramah and went to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What is my crime? How have I wronged your father, that he is trying to take my life?” [2] “Never!” Jonathan replied. “You are not going to die! Look, my father doesn’t do anything, great or small, without confiding in me. Why would he hide this from me? It’s not so!” [3] But David took an oath and said, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said to himself, ‘Jonathan must not know this or he will be grieved.’ Yet as surely as the LORD lives and as you live, there is only a step between me and death.” [4] Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do for you.” [5] So David said, “Look, tomorrow is the New Moon festival, and I am supposed to dine with the king; but let me go and hide in the field until the evening of the day after tomorrow. [6] If your father misses me at all, tell him, ‘David earnestly asked my permission to hurry to Bethlehem, his hometown, because an annual sacrifice is being made there for his whole clan.’ [7] If he says, ‘Very well,’ then your servant is safe. But if he loses his temper, you can be sure that he is determined to harm me. [8] As for you, show kindness to your servant, for you have brought him into a covenant with you before the LORD. If I am guilty, then kill me yourself! Why hand me over to your father?” [9] “Never!” Jonathan said. “If I had the least inkling that my father was determined to harm you, wouldn’t I tell you?” [10] David asked, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?” [11] “Come,” Jonathan said, “let’s go out into the field.” So they went there together. [12] Then Jonathan said to David: “By the LORD, the God of Israel, I will surely sound out my father by this time the day after tomorrow! If he is favorably disposed toward you, will I not send you word and let you know? [13] But if my father is inclined to harm you, may the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if I do not let you know and send you away safely. May the LORD be with you as he has been with my father. [14] But show me unfailing kindness like that of the LORD as long as I live, so that I may not be killed, [15] and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family-not even when the LORD has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.” [16] So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the LORD call David’s enemies to account.” [17] And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Reflect
What was Jonathan’s relationship with David (17)?Relationships are always give and take. The relationship we see between David and Jonathan is an equal one. Jonathan trusts David and is willing to do whatever it takes to help him out (4).
But he is also confident of David’s loyalty in return (17). Throughout all the material concerning David and Jonathan’s friendship in 1 Samuel, the phrase “he loved him as he loved himself” (17) is scattered. This is the key to understanding their friendship. Is this how you feel about your closest friend? What about your relationship with Jesus?
Today’s passage is an example of how much we need people when things are hard, and how important it is to have friends we can rely on. Do you need to take some time out with your closest friend (or friends) and make your relationship stronger?
Apply
Bring to mind your closest friend(s). How strong is your relationship with them? How could it be even stronger?
Closing prayer
Take time to pray for your friends and ask for God’s blessing upon their lives and knowledge of his presence with them.
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