Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

July 28
Tuesday


THE VALUE
OF FRIENDS

READ:
1 Samuel 20:12-17
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Jonathan...loved
[David] as he loved
his own soul.
__1 Samuel 20:17
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John Chrysostom (347-407) was one of the great preachers in the early church. He was given the name Chrysostom, which means "golden-mouthed," because of his eloquent sermons.

Here is one of his insights on the value of friends: "Such is friendship, that through it we love places and seasons; for as...flowers drop their sweet leaves on the ground around them so friends impart favor even to the places where they dwell. With friends even poverty is pleasant....It would be better for us that the sun were exhausted than that we should be without friends."

The story of Jonathan and David illustrates the value of friendship. Though David was hunted by the demented King Saul, he drew encouragement from his friendship with Saul's son. "Jonathan... loved [David] as he loved his own soul" (1 Sam. 20:17). Their relationship was characterized by trust, understanding, and encouragement. How difficult it would have been for David to endure this unjust persecution without the nourishment of friendship based in the Lord (v.42).

The ancient voice of Chrysostom and the witness of David and Jonathan are reminders of the need to nurture the friendships God has given us. __Dennis Fisher
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````````````````````Since I have no gold to give,`````````````````
`````````````````And love alone must make amends,``````````````
```````````````````My daily prayer is while I live--````````````````
````````````"God, make me worthy of my friends." __Sherman``````
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**************Today's Bible Reading __ 1 Samuel 20:12-17*********

12 Then Jonathan said to
David: "The LORD God of
Israel is witness! When I
have sounded out my father
sometime tomorrow, or the
third day, and indeed there
is good toward David, and I
do not send to you and tell
you, 13 may the LORD do so
and much more to Jonathan,
But if it pleases my father
to do you evil, then I will
report it to you and send
you away, that you may go
in safety. And the LORD be
with you as He has been
with my father. 14 and you
shall not only show me the
kindness of the LORD while
I still live, that I may not
die; 15 but you shall not cut
off your kindness from my
house forever, no, not when
the LORD has cut off every
one of the enemies of David
from the face of the earth."

16 So Jonathan made a
covenant with the house of
David, saying, "Let the
LORD require it at the hand
of David's enemies."

17 Now Jonathan again
caused David to vow,
because he loved him; for
he loved him as he loved
his own soul.

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

Jonathan, the eldest son of king Saul (1 Sam, 14:49), did not see his
brother-in-law David (18:27) as a political threat, but chose to forge
a deep friendship wIth him (vv.12-15). When Jonathan died (31:2),
David honored his best friend with the "song of the how"
(2 Sam. 1:17-27). After David became king, he honored this
friendship and took care of Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth (9:1-13).
__SIM KAY TEE