And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord take vengeance on David’s enemies.” And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved his as he loved his own soul. (ESV)

Betrayal. That word probably brings up a lot of emotion, be it anger, shame or something else. It is an emotion that can break relationship and isolate us from the community God created us for. If we look back over the past couple chapters in 1 Samuel, we see this in David’s life. He goes from being anointed by Samuel, killing the Philistine giant Goliath, and working in the king’s palace, to a man on the run, afraid for his life.  

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So where does David run? Where many of us have run before: essentially, the church. David goes to the town of Nod to where the tabernacle was. He goes to find safety in the priest there and is met by man who fears that if he harbors David, he will lose his life to King Saul. How devastating must that have been to David? In the one place he thought he might be safe, he finds disappointment.  

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The only thing David can do is go to a trusted, God-fearing friend, the son of his enemy, Jonathan. Yeah, don’t tell me the Bible is boring! David, at the end of his rope, goes to his friend in desperation. In verse 1 of this chapter, David asks, “What have I done? What is my guilt?” He sounds frustrated and exhausted. How many of us have been in that boat?  

God has placed on each of us a calling. Some of us know it better than others, but we all have it. For David it was clear: Samuel anointed his head and proclaimed him the next king of Israel. You know, just a small thing. How frustrated he must have been, maybe even questioning God’s calling on his life. He knows in his heart what God said about him, but if he is anything like me, his head is believing God must have changed his mind or made a mistake.  

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When he goes to Jonathan, it seems like he is trying to get answers, but Jonathan gives him something different. Jonathan shows David that God hasn’t forgotten him or his calling. We can tend to put human emotions and actions on God, and let’s face it, that’s all we know so it kind of makes sense why we do that. The human norm is this: when it gets tough, people leave. So, if that’s what we know, then we think that’s what God must do as well. But in this dark, discouraging time, God shows David that he isn’t going anywhere, all through this simple response from a Godly friend.  

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I have to remind myself of this a lot. In the times when I feel discouraged, hurt, or alone, the people God has put in my life have built me up, encouraged me, and loved me, truly showing me God’s love. We aren’t designed to do this thing alone; we were created for community, and in that community is a way for us to experience how God loves us so very much.  

God, as we walk down the path you have for us, and we come across the obstacles life throws at us, I pray we can see and lean on the people you have put into our lives. God, your love for us is beyond our understanding, so continue to guide us and bring us into the community you designed for us. Amen.