Once in a lifetime friendships

Hang with me here....this may take a while.

I have spent the last several weeks in a personal Bible study titled "David, Seeking a Heart Like His" by Beth Moore.  I used to love doing Beth Moore studies but took a couple of years off from them because I felt like I needed to get out of a "book" and into the Word more.  But this study is rocking my socks off.  God has really used Beth Moore to grow my walk with the Lord in so many ways.  Not only have I been personally studying David, but our pastor Brian is also preaching through David as well and it has been incredible.  God won't let me get away from David these days for some reason ha!

I have spent several days on a specific study about friendships "Common Bonds, Uncommon Friends."  I have been blown away by the story of Jonathan and David and their deep, connected, unbreakable friendship.  In 1 Samuel 18:1-4, Jonathan's father, Saul was king.  David, a young son of Jesse and a shepherd boy, had just slain the giant Goliath.  Although Jonathan was next in line for the kingship of Israel, Jonathan felt a strong connection to David, scripture says their souls were knit together.  Jonathan loved him so much that he stripped his own robe and gave it to David.  Verse 3 says, "Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself."  Because he felt so strongly about this friendship, he literally gave up his heir to the throne for David.  That's sacrifice my friends.  Anyone can make a covenant, but only the faithful keep their covenants.

Not only in 1 Samuel 18:1-4 we see the making of the covenant between Jonathan and David, but in 1 Samuel 20 we see the keeping of the covenant that they made that day.  If you have time, read the whole chapter but to shorten it for you, King Saul was basically very jealous of David because in chapter 18 the people rejoiced after the slaying of Goliath and were chanting, "Saul has slain his thousands, David his tens of thousands."  Saul was so jealous that he wanted to kill David and actually tried to multiple times.  Saul's son, Jonathan, who loved David as himself, tried protecting David from his jealous father who was trying to kill his friend.  Jonathan and David set up a plan to find out how to keep David safe and in the end, they parted ways, but not before hugging and crying together because of the Lord's bond between them.  It is a beautiful scene.  Beth Moore says about their friendship, "Jonathan and David are examples of two people knit together by something more powerful than circumstances or preferences."

They were uncommon friends bound by a common bond, the Lord.  Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 talks about the importance of deep friendships and how these friends help one another.  It also states that "A cord of three is not easily broken." That does not mean a cord of three humans, but 2 friends with the Lord as their common bond.  That is also true of a healthy marriage as well...the husband and the wife with the Lord as their common bond.  It is NOT easily broken.  David and Jonathan had a friendship like this.

Beth Moore shares three things that are true about these kinds of friendships:

1. Uncommon friends can speak their minds without fear.  Although in 1 Samuel 20:1-4 David and Jonathan probably exchanged some heated words, they were able to be honest and real with one another without losing each other's trust or respect.  Allowing others to speak their fears even when we can't understand is characteristic of uncommon friendships.  Willingness to listen and then let the potential insults pass is not a sign of weakness.  It is a sign of strength.  The bonds of uncommon friends are deeper than the width of their differences.
2. Uncommon friends can share their hearts without shame.  These men WEPT together, cried on each other's shoulders.  Uncommon friends can be vulnerable with one another and still retain their dignity.  Their relationship was far more than just emotions, but a safe place to trust and show feelings.  They shared a common goal:  the will of God.  Each life complemented one another.  They had separate lives but inseparable bonds.  
3. Uncommon friends can stay close even at a distance.  Jonathan and David hadn't been friends long before God tied their souls together.  Most friendships take time to develop, but it isn't a requirement.  Their friendship was a bond of THREE.

It has caused me to reflect on those "special" friendships in my life.  You know those friendships that are deep, honest, real, and that stand over time.  The kind where you don't have to talk often or maybe even you do, but you can pick right back up where you left off because your hearts are knit together.  Some there is a history there where it has developed over time, then there are those that developed over a short period of time.  They know your heart and you know theirs.  You understand each other, respect one another, are loyal to one another, you cry and laugh together, and you would give your right arm for them if they were really in some trouble.

I have been blessed with many of those friendships and although I won't name names here, they know who they are.  With all of these friends, new or old, I can be real...100% me, the good and the bad and they accept me for ME.  I can share about what God is doing in my life and talk about our quiet times.  We laugh together, cry together, and can be vulnerable to the core.  I am thankful beyond words for these friendships and am overwhelmed at how blessed I am and how gracious the Lord has been to me.

But what I am reminded of even more so, is that the closest friendships I have are those where it is a cord of 3.  "A cord of three is not easily broken," Ecclesiastes 4:12.  It is not by chance or coincidence that we are not easily broken.  It is because the Lord has knit our souls together and there is no circumstance, situation or character flaw that can tear those friendships apart.  

They are friends for life with a common goal...to walk humbly with our God.  And with that in mind...I am simply humbled beyond words and very grateful.