COVENANT LOVE

“Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.” ~ I Samuel 18:2

REFERENCE:

I Samuel 17:57-18:5

David just won a momentous victory for Israel. Prince Jonathan (Saul’s son) was likely on the battlefield when this youthful shepherd-soldier went against giant Goliath in battle, armed only with a sling and stones. He witnessed David’s self-sacrificing bravery, which brought deliverance to the whole of Israel. He took in the full weight of what David did:

1. Deliverance from perpetual shame to the crown (his father and their lineage). 

2. Victory when defeat was looming (or in the place of eminent defeat).

3. Preservation of his life, his father’s house, and the whole house of Israel.

4. Saving him from losing his status as heir to the throne.

Jonathan was filled with deep gratitude towards his ‘savior’, David. His gratitude moved to great admiration and eventually evolved into a deep love for him. He proceeded to cut an everlasting love covenant with him; he wanted to be David’s friend until death and beyond, so the covenant extends to his seeds after him.

Likewise, Jesus, the Son of David, has delivered us from shame, slavery, death, and the wrath of our enemy. He fought that threatening giant, satan, on our behalf and won an indisputable and eternal victory. Like Jonathan, therefore, as a demonstration of gratitude and admiration, we should enter a life-long covenant of love and friendship with Jesus, deciding to follow Him for the rest of our lives. This covenant of love should be passed on to our children, telling them of His mighty deliverance and favor, so that they also follow Him in their lifetime.

Jonathan presented tokens of the covenant by clothing David with the robe that he was wearing. In this instance, Jonathan was a type of Jesus, clothing us with His righteousness because of His love for us. David, wearing Jonathan’s clothes, said to everyone that he was Jonathan’s second self. Can you see yourself in Jonathan? Compelled by love for the one who saved him, he did not hesitate to give him his robe, armor, sword, bow, and belt. True love spares no expense in proving itself to its object. If you are truly in a covenant of love with Jesus Christ, clothe Him with your praise, honor, money, resources, time, talents, and service. Let it be that when we look at Jesus (imagine with me), we will see Him decked in something you gave Him or made available to Him. If you did it to promote His purposes here on earth, I can assure you…you did it to Him.

PHOTO QUOTE

ADDITIONAL TEXTS:

I John 4:19, Matthew 22:36-38, and Luke 8:1-3

PRAYERS:

+ Dear Jesus, I pause to celebrate You today for the great victory You won at calvary for me. Thank you for defeating the devil and keeping him under my feet.

+ I declare my everlasting love for You, Lord. That from now, till my old age, I will follow You.

+ I choose to crown You with all that I have today. I will beautify You with my praise, worship, obedience, money, and service to God and humanity.