Loyalty in the Struggle | 1 Samuel 20:42

Do you have a covenantal relationship with a loyal spiritual friend?

Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.

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This week, we are in 1 Samuel 20. I've titled this chapter "Friendship and Loyalty in Adversity."

In the last chapter, we left off with David leaving Saul's house, never to return, leaving behind his good friend and wife. This chapter is a chronicle of David trying to figure out if there is a permanent change in Saul after Saul's experience with the Spirit in Naoith. So David will secretly consult with Jonathan to see if it is safe to return. Of course, it's not. But the final verse of this chapter punctuates a covenant that the two men make between each other.

Then Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, 'The Lord shall be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.'" And he rose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city. — 1 Samuel 20:42

If we survey David's whole life, we can divide the segments of David's life into four seasons:

1. The Shepherding Season.
2. The Struggling Season.
3. The Soldiering Season.
4. The Sovereign Season.

We are about to enter the "Struggling Season" or the "Hiding Years." Chapter 20 begins a 12-15-year stretch during which David runs from King Saul for his life. That's a long time!

Long seasons of trials are trying. When we enter them, we often have no idea what we are getting into. David had no idea what was about to happen or how long it would take for him to move from being anointed king to his appointment as king. But he did have one thing. He had a friend, a confident, and a brother in Jonathan, and they were going to depart from each other, making a covenant agreement that would be fulfilled many years from now after Jonathan's death.

Covenants between godly men are missing from the modern church. Believers have become too causal and transactional in their relationships. We enter into most relationships "to get" not "to give" and are unwilling to commit to the initiative and investment that covenantal relationships require. But every person encounters a Struggling Season. For some, this is short, and for others, it may be prolonged. But a covenant agreement with a loyal and godly friend makes the journey much easier. It's like an anchor. It anchors us to the Lord. It anchors us to a godly believer. It anchors us to an unchanging agreement. It anchors us emotionally, mentally, and spiritually when we question the future.

Are you going through a struggling season? Then maybe it's time to make a covenant. Perhaps it's not exactly like the one Jonathan and David made, a lifelong covenantal promise that extended to future generations. But maybe you need to make a covenant agreement with a brother for a season. Who is that person, and what is that covenant? And if you cannot think of either, maybe it's time to take some initiative and make an investment to discover the spiritual blessings that await.

It's time to bring back the covenant of relationship.

#CovenantFriendship
#LoyaltyInAdversity
#SpiritualBrotherhood

Ask This:

1. Considering David and Jonathan's covenant, what qualities are essential for a loyal spiritual friendship? How can we cultivate these qualities in our relationships?
2. Have you experienced a "Struggling Season" in your life? How did your relationships—whether supportive or lacking—impact your journey during that time? What role could a covenantal friendship have played in that experience?

Do This:

Initiate a covenant.

Pray This:

Father, thank You for the gift of loyal friends and the strength of covenant relationships. Help me to be intentional in cultivating these bonds, especially during my challenging seasons, so that I may anchor myself and others in Your love and truth. Amen.

Play This:

Back to the Father.