Friday, February 11

The Lord shall be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants, forever.
—1 Samuel 20:42b

In the midst of the political and military struggles between David and King Saul, there is a portrait of deep and lasting friendship. David and Jonathan, we are told, love each other as much as any two people can. Here, at their parting, they covenant before God to extend their relationship into eternity. They might not see each other again.

Jonathan's father, Saul, is determined to kill David and their destinies lie in different directions. But their friendship doesn't depend on seeing each other. They have connected soul to soul, and their love will not only endure between them, but will extend for generations to come.

We don't have many such friendships in our lives, but when they do come, they are one of the ways that we come to experience and know the love of God. In the safety of such a friendship, the truth can be told without fear that the love will dissolve. With that experience in the flesh, we come to understand that we can be honest with God. Even when God sees and knows our faults and shortcomings, God's love will endure. Not even death will separate us from the love of God, as Paul reminds us in Romans 8, and David reminds us that the love will go on for generations to follow.

Jonathan and his father eventually meet their end on the slopes of Mt. Gilboa, at the hands of David's army. Probably both David and Jonathan knew that one of them would be in such a position. But being on opposing sides amidst conflicting loyalties did not end their love. In the same way, God's love is not determined by our political or national loyalties. God's love is deep and eternal and unconditional, like the love of our best friend.

Companion God, allow us to know the deep friendship that teaches us of your love.

These Signposts originally appeared on explorefaith in 2006.