My Jonathan for every season... my Jesus

“After David had finished talking with Saul, 
Jonathan became one in spirit with David, 
And he loved him as himself.”
1 Samuel 18:1


Walking home from church one afternoon, I thought deeply of the friendship between Jonathan and David and envied David for having such a strong bond with Jonathan. The sermon last Sunday painted a beautiful picture in my mind about the friendships. Jonathan was an enormous strength to David when Saul was jealously pursuing to harm David. Despite his father’s evil intentions, Jonathan was a loyal friend to David until the very end of Jonathan’s life. 

A few weeks before this sermon, my heart and mind were weighed down by a friendship which over a couple of incidents were proving to be something which dragged my heart down to the depths of the deepest blue. My mind was feeling the strain and in the end I thought better am I, an island unto myself, than having to deal with the disappointment of yet another friend who had grown indifferent towards ‘our’ friendship almost overnight. 

While drowning in self pity, thoughts flooded into my mind, one after another. I was reminded of the incidents in the past, of friendships which had blossomed in unlikely places, through difficult circumstances… through trials. 

People who had appeared by my side to walk the dark corridors of the storms which beat me down. People who had come to give a shoulder to cry on, to lean on, to hold me up and bring me to my feet. Endearingly I heard my Father speak, ‘haven’t you also had friends like Jonathan in your life? in every season have I not provided someone to stand beside you?’
 
And it was the truth, as I flipped from one page to another in the book called my life. In every place from the farthest memory in my mind, through every storm, there has been a friend closer than a brother and the One Who provided all of them and more...  Who has never caused me pain, heartache or disappointments – Who has been a lifelong Friend. My Jonathan for every season… my Jesus.