Devotional Song: Go to this link … Please take the time to take in video of the poignant song, sung by Alan Jackson, the old hymn, What A Friend We Have In Jesus, … reminding us that our Lord is the most faithful and loving friend anyone could have in life.
Highlight Passage #1 1st Samuel 18: 3-4 [NKJV] … We read of the depths of the friendship between David and Jonathan …
3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.
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Highlight Context - 1st Samuel 18: 1-4; 23: 15-18 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK … The covenant friendship of David and Jonathan
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Reference Passage #1 - 2nd Samuel 1: 18-27 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK … When Jonathan died in battle, David honored his dear friend with this song
Reference Passage #2 - John 15: 13 [NKJV] …
13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Poh Fang Chia, refers to the friendship developed and maintained between Jonathan, the crown prince and son of King Saul, and David, the one who had been anointed to become King of Israel in place of the crown prince. Their friendship, documented in the highlight passages, linked above, was a COVENANT relationship and friendship; … one which modeled the friendship which Christ has with all who have, in faith, made Him the LORD of our lives.
Jesus was the Friend Who died for us, as He taught in John 15: 13 (see copied above). He was, like Jonathan was for David, willing to die for his friend. And today, in meditating on this deep and abiding friendship which was realized by David and Jonathan and the one finalized by Jesus, dying on the cross for all who would be His friend, … we must ask ourselves, DO WE HAVE A FRIEND such as this??
I do; and in the few friends such as this, not the least of whom is my wife, I know that these dear ones would not only die for me but they live for me as well - everyday. And I pray that I would be that kind of a friend for them. But above all, … what a joy it is to know, as Alan Jackson sings, in the song linked above, “What a friend I have in Jesus!”
My Prayer for Today … Lord, … Thank You for being my Friend. Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that.
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