Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

October 18
Saturday


A GENUINE
FRIEND

READ
1 Samuel 20:32-42
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Two are better than
one. __Ecclesiastes 4:9
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In the novel Shane, a friendship forms between Joe starrett, a farmer on the American frontier, and Shane, a mysterious man who stops to rest at the Starrett home. The men first bond as they work together to remove a giant tree stump from Joe's land. The relationship deepens as Joe rescues Shane from a fight and Shane helps Joe improve and guard his farmland. The men share a sense of mutual respect and loyalty that reflects what Scripture says: "Two are better than one....If they fall, one will lift up his companion" (Eccl. 4:9-10).

Jonathan and David modeled this principle as well. Circumstances tested their friendship when David suspected that King Saul wanted him dead. Jonathan doubted this, but David believed it to be true (1 Sam. 20-2-3). Eventually, they decided David would hide in a field while Jonathan questioned his father about the matter. When Saul's deadly intent became clear, the friends wept together and Jonathan blessed David as he fled (v42).

You have a genuine friend in Jesus if you have accepted His offer of salvation__a friend who is always loyal; one who lifts you when you stumble. He has shown you the greatest love one friend can have for another__love that Led Him to sacrifice His life for you (john 15:13). __Jennifer Benson Schuldt

`````````````````````````````What a friend we have in Jesus,````````````````````````````
`````````````````````````````All our sins and griefs to bear!`````````````````````````````
```````````````````````````````What a privilege to carry````````````````````````````````
```````````````````````````Everything to God in prayer! __Scriven````````````````````````
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Jesus is your most trusted Friend.

*************************************Today's Bible Reading __ 1 Samuel 20:32-42****************************************

32 And Jonathan answered
Saul his father, and said to
him, "why should he be
killed? What has he done?"

33 Then saul cast a spear at
him to kill him, by which
Jonathan knew that it was
determined by his father to
kill David

34 So Jonathan arose from
the table in fierce anger, and
ate no food the second day of
the month, for he was
grieved for David....

35 And so it was, in the
morning, that Jonathan went
out into the field at the time
appointed with David, and a
little lad was with him.

36 Then he said to his lad,
"Now run, find the arrows
which I shoot." As the lad
ran, he shot an arrow beyond
him. 37 When the lad had
come to the place where the
arrow was which Jonathan
had shot, Jonathan cried out
after the lad and said, "Is not
the arrow beyond you?"

38 And Jonathan cried out
after the ald, "Make haste,
hurry, do not delay!" So
Jonathan's lad gathered up
the arrows and came back to
his master. 39 But the lad did
not know anything. Only
Jonathan and David knew of
the matter. 40 Then Jonathan
gave his weapons to his lad,
and said to him, "Go, carry
them to the city."

41 As soon as the lad had
gone, David arose....And
they kissed one another; and
they wept together, but David
more so.

42 Then Jonathan said to
David, "Go in peace, since
we have both sworn in the
name of the LORD, saying,
'May the LORD be between
you and me, and between
your descendants and my
descendants and my
descendants, forever.' "

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Jonathans' friendship with David was marked by brotherly affection,
but it also displayed Jonathan's self-sacrifice. The throne that would
have been his destiny as the son of King Saul had already been given
to David (1 sam. 16:10-13).