Moving On
Opening Prayer
Do you face a change on your journey through life? Ask God to show you what he wants you to do.
Read 1 Samuel 20:18-42
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
[18] Then Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the New Moon feast. You will be missed, because your seat will be empty. [19] The day after tomorrow, toward evening, go to the place where you hid when this trouble began, and wait by the stone Ezel. [20] I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I were shooting at a target. [21] Then I will send a boy and say, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I say to him, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; bring them here,’ then come, because, as surely as the LORD lives, you are safe; there is no danger. [22] But if I say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you,’ then you must go, because the LORD has sent you away. [23] And about the matter you and I discussed-remember, the LORD is witness between you and me forever.” [24] So David hid in the field, and when the New Moon feast came, the king sat down to eat. [25] He sat in his customary place by the wall, opposite Jonathan, and Abner sat next to Saul, but David’s place was empty. [26] Saul said nothing that day, for he thought, “Something must have happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean-surely he is unclean.” [27] But the next day, the second day of the month, David’s place was empty again. Then Saul said to his son Jonathan, “Why hasn’t the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?” [28] Jonathan answered, “David earnestly asked me for permission to go to Bethlehem. [29] He said, ‘Let me go, because our family is observing a sacrifice in the town and my brother has ordered me to be there. If I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away to see my brothers.’ That is why he has not come to the king’s table.” [30] Saul’s anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don’t I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you? [31] As long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now send someone to bring him to me, for he must die!” [32] “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” Jonathan asked his father. [33] But Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him. Then Jonathan knew that his father intended to kill David. [34] Jonathan got up from the table in fierce anger; on that second day of the feast he did not eat, because he was grieved at his father’s shameful treatment of David. [35] In the morning Jonathan went out to the field for his meeting with David. He had a small boy with him, [36] and he said to the boy, “Run and find the arrows I shoot.” As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. [37] When the boy came to the place where Jonathan’s arrow had fallen, Jonathan called out after him, “Isn’t the arrow beyond you?” [38] Then he shouted, “Hurry! Go quickly! Don’t stop!” The boy picked up the arrow and returned to his master. [39] (The boy knew nothing about all this; only Jonathan and David knew.) [40] Then Jonathan gave his weapons to the boy and said, “Go, carry them back to town.” [41] After the boy had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone and bowed down before Jonathan three times, with his face to the ground. Then they kissed each other and wept together-but David wept the most. [42] Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘The LORD is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.'” Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
How do two friends decide that David will leave?Jonathan and David have a plan worked out (20-22). David waits in the fields. Meanwhile, in the feasting hall, Jonathan keeps his eyes open to see what response he gets from King Saul when David’s absence is noted. Jonathan gets his answer promptly–take a look at verses 30 and 31! The message is clear: David must move on. The pain of the separation is evident for both friends, with David leaving as Jonathan’s vow rings in his ears (42). For David, the promises of friendship remain real. He will fulfill his commitment to Jonathan and his family many years later when he invites Jonathan’s son to move to his palace to live (cf. 2 Sam. 9). For now, though, David does not know how much more moving on he will face. But he remains loyal to his friend and to God. Moving on from those we love and who love us is always painful. When we face the similar challenge of moving on to new things, we can expect pain. But God goes with us and helps us cope with the pain of change and separation.
Apply
Give thanks for those who have offered you love in the past, and ask God to heal the wounds of separation.
Closing prayer
Heavenly Father, increase my faith so that I may faithfully and joyfully follow You into the future.
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