A Friend of All Seasons

Who doesn’t want to have a friend? Having a friend will make you feel good. I remember a character a lead character in a famous Series TV Show “monk”. The lead character is willing to move beyond his comfort zones just to win a friend. It’s always nice to have a friend who will join you and stand by you in times of celebration, but having a friend who’s not only there during good times, a friend who will not leave you in times of difficulties in life is truly a great friend. This is the kind of friend everybody wants to have especially during these tough times. Now, can you honestly tell yourself today that you have a faithful friend who will be there for you through thick and thin? How about you, are you the kind of friend who’s got what it takes to be called a faithful friend? A friend who loves at all times? It’s so easy to gain and loose friends. Time and circumstances will tell us who the real friends among our so-called friends are. In our world full of competition and fleshly desires, it’s hard to tell who will be our friends till the end. The truth is, we will fail people, and in turn people will fail us. Sooner or later our friends will disappoint us, and we will disappoint them. At some point, sweet memories fade away. Each of us has weaknesses and struggles in life. Our environment and the way we were raised by our parents have a direct impact on our present life because these factors greatly contribute to values we have and decisions we make that apparently affects people around us.

Having a faithful friend who would love and accept us just as we are, and who would love us at all times is like a crown and treasure each of us needs to seek and find. I was so amazed and touched by the kind of friendship David and Jonathan have. The story of their friendship still amazes me to this day. Jonathan loved David as he loved himself. Likewise, David loved Jonathan as he loved himself. There’s a bond of love between David and Jonathan – a love which endures right up to the moment of Jonathan’s untimely death in battle.  Jonathan has faced a conflict of loyalty between his father, Saul and David. Through his skills and diplomacy, he was able to maintain his loyalty to his father and his friendship for David. Jonathan was a faithful friend to David for when he learned that his father gave instruction to kill David, Jonathan warned him and defend him publicly. When the situation got worse, David and Jonathan decide with great sorrow that they must part, and together they reaffirm their oath of friendship (1 Samuel 20: 1-42) because they entered a covenant relationship soon after their first meeting where Jonathan presents his robe, military dress and weapons to David as a public mark of honor and respect (1 Samuel 18:1-15). Jonathan is the perfect example of good and godly friend. He could take second place without jealousy or a spirit of rivalry, and maintain his love and loyalty for David despite everything that worked to the contrary. No wonder when David looks back and remembers the friendship of Jonathan, he weeps and cries out, “ Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women” (2 Samuel 1:26).

Have you had a friend like that? Then consider yourself greatly blessed with a crown and treasure. But perhaps, what is more important is this – are you a friend like that? Now, let me introduce you to the greatest friend of all seasons. His name is Jesus. He came to die in our place because He loves us. John 15:13 tells us, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends”. Be a friend of Jesus by inviting Him to come into your life, to start a personal relationship with Him and obey His command. John 15:14 says, “You are my friends if you do what I command”.