 Heart Friends
Friendships Forever
The Good News Translation: 1 Sam. 18:1,3
1 It came about when he (David) had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself. 3 Jonathan swore eternal friendship with David because of his deep affection for him.
What a beautiful picture of what a Heart Friendship looks like. God knew David needed a friend who would walk with him through the difficult circumstances that were ahead of him, and God brought Jonathan into David’s life. David knew he himself would one day be the King of Israel but that it would take years before God’s promise would be realized.
The friendship of David and Jonathan was the effect of Divine grace, which produces one heart and one soul in true believers. It also causes them to love each other. There is something about an intimate friendship that causes your souls to be knit together. It is what we call kindred spirits.
This man David, whom God was going to make into the greatest King in the history of Israel, became OPEN AND TRANSPRENT with Jonathan, the friend God had provided for him. How does that look in everyday life?
2 Corinthians 1
3 blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. 4 Who comforts us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God.
Ladies, what troubles has God brought you through that you need to be open and transparent about with another? What troubles has God brought you through that you need to share with someone else? How can you be transparent with others about these troubles?
You see, it is the sharing of our deepest fears, failures, and frustrations that produces an intimate Friendship. David was feeling all these emotions, and God provided him a very special friend.
When Jim Burke became the head of the new products division at Johnson & Johnson, one of his first projects was the development of a children's chest rub for colds. The product failed miserably, and Burke expected that he would be fired. When he was called in to see the chairman of the board, however, he met with a surprising reception. "Are you the one who just cost us all that money?" asked the Chairman. "Well, I just want to congratulate you. If you are making mistakes that means you are taking risks. And we won't grow unless you take risks." Some years later, when Burke himself became chairman of J&J, he continued to spread that word.
I wonder - would you be willing to take a risk and develop a Heart Friend so you can have the type of friendship that David and Jonathan shared?
Learn more about how to develop this friendship in Shirley’s latest book, Heart Friends.
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