#DailyDevotion Jesus Has Knit His Soul To Yours

Aug. 3rd
Read 1 Sam 17:48—18:9
1Sa 18:1-9 As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. (2) And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. (3) Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. (4) And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. (5) And David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants… (7) And the women sang to one another as they celebrated, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” (8) And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?” (9) And Saul eyed David from that day on.

The anointing of Samuel of David is having its effect. David must increase and Saul must decrease. Saul will be his own undoing though. David, we will see, will always respect Saul as the current anointed king of Israel. Saul, however, will keep an eye on David and will not trust him. The one Saul appoints over his armies to do the work that God had originally given him to do does it and does it well. Because of this, David who is the instrument of the Lord gets praise, more praise than Saul, and Saul becomes jealous.

Jealousy and covetousness is a serious sin. It indeed is the root sin of all others. We covet things and persons which the Lord hasn’t given us so we turn to other gods to get it. We deny our parents, commit murder, adultery, we rob and steal and speak evil of people to get what we want when we want it and how we want it. We will cover it up with all sorts of justifications of how what we are doing it good and right and those holding things from us are really the ones who are doing evil.

How are you justifying your bad behavior today? In what ways are you letting covetousness get in the way of receiving from God all his good gifts and from serving your neighbor? Jonathan on the other hand is an example of one whose heart belongs to the Lord. He recognizes the Lord’s hand with David. He gives his heart to David and with that his worldly possessions. His concern is not for his future dynasty but the good of the house of Israel. He sees David as being that one whom is good for Israel. He sticks closer to David than his own brother. Solomon would later write, “There is a friend who sticks closer to you than your brother.” Perhaps he had this in mind.

Now we have before us One who is greater than David, David’s son, Jesus Christ. David is not jealous of his Son who is greater than him. He has a whole book of the bible, the psalms, which is practically dedicated to his great Son, Jesus, the son of Mary. He is a friend who sticks to us closer than he does to his own family. He, like Jonathan, takes off his armor, his robe of righteousness, his weapons and gives them to us the face the day anew in the armor of God. Make use of these gifts to defeat the Goliaths in your life. They cannot fail you.

Lord Jesus Christ, you clothe us in your righteousness and your armor. Grant us courage and skill to make use of these great gifts and knit your soul to ours, that we may defeat the Goliaths of our lives and know the benefit of your friendship. Amen.