David Wept, but Jesus More (#142 of 365+)

“I have loved you with an everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3)

From his psalm-writing and the many stories about David we know that he was not one to hide his emotions. He was willing to
dump out the contents of his heart without any shame. We see this in the rare kind of friendship he had with Jonathan. The Bible says “The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David” (1 Samuel 18:1 KJV). The two were like soul brothers. Jonathan was willing to go to great lengths, even against his father’s will, to save David’s life. “David… fell on his face to the ground… They kissed each other and wept together, but David wept the more” (1 Samuel 20:41 NASB). Tears flowed steadily from both but the weeping from David was a bit louder. As Joni explained, David was a man of “great passion”. The man who one day would become king “didn’t have to love... He wanted to love”.

The friendship between David and Jonathan teaches me something about Jesus. My Savior is the Son of David, not just by lineage but also because he and David share similar characteristics. I’m not being disrespectful when I say Jesus, the sinless Son of God, has something in common with David, a sinful man. God even called David “a man after his own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). The reason for that is, in Joni’s words, because the love of Jesus is “deeply fervent; not borne of duty or obligation”. No one had to twist his arm to leave heaven to come to earth. He was willing to expose the contents of his heart. It was his desire to save my soul.

I can also learn another good lesson from David and Jonathan. As their souls were “knit” together and David’s love changed Jonathan’s life, my destiny has been forever transformed by the depth of God’s love. I am “bound together” with my Lord, and I can know him in an intimate way since I’m in Christ and he’s in me.

“I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8)

Lord, you stepped in at the perfect time and changed the course of my life. Thank you for your steadfast eternal love. It is in you I live, and move, and have my being. Amen.