Thursday 7 March, 2013

18 David finished talking with Saul. After that, Jonathan and David became close friends. Jonathan loved David just as he loved himself. 2 From that time on, Saul kept David with him. He didn’t let him return to his father’s home. 3 Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him just as he loved himself. 4 Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David. He also gave him his military clothes. He even gave him his sword, his bow and his belt. 5 David did everything Saul sent him to do. He did it so well that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. That pleased Saul’s whole army, including his officers. 6 After David had killed Goliath, the men of Israel returned home. The women came out of all of the towns of Israel to meet King Saul. They danced and sang joyful songs. They played lutes and tambourines. 7 As they danced, they sang, “Saul has killed thousands of men. David has killed tens of thousands.” 8 That song made Saul very angry. It really upset him. He said to himself, “They are saying David has killed tens of thousands of men. But they are saying I’ve killed only thousands. The only thing left for him to get is the kingdom itself.” 9 From that time on, Saul became very jealous of David. So he watched him closely.

David has just slain Goliath.  Now we see Saul’s son Jonathan, who would have been the future

King of Israel by linage, see in David what Saul did not.  Jonathan gives David his robe, his armour, his sword, bow & belt.  Symbolically these are the passing of Jonathan’s rightful kingship to David.  Jonathan recognises in David what his father Saul does not.  He see’s him as a leader, warrior and most of all God’s favour on him to be King. He see’s him as a man with more ability than he and he is doing everything in this moment to see that David will become King in his place.

How amazing to have someone who is older, more skilled, more trained, more able, more gifted see something in you at a young age that God has put there, do everything they can do to see you surpass them, take their

position leadership & ministry because they can see God’s hand on your life.

Lord help me be a Jonathan and not a Saul.  To be able to recognise the gifts and talents of others and mentor and disciple them to be so much better in their walk and life than I have been in mine.  To allow them to build their floor on my ceiling.

Written by Suzie Hodgson