The Ministry Of Friendship: Point To Promises

We should point our friends to God’s promises when they are struggling.   ~~~   We not only see Jonathan being present with David in his time of crisis, but Jonathan POINTS DAVID TO PROMISES OF GOD. vs. 17 “…and strengthened his hand in God. And he said to him, ‘Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father knows this.” Being present with a brother or sister in the midst of a struggle is good. It is needful. But it cannot end there. The purpose of Jonathan’s visit and fellowship was not to wallow in misery or fear with David. That is a form of empathy. Empathy feels what the other person feels. Empathy tries to put yourself in their shoes. But our ministry to one another cannot end there. Empathy sees a brother and sister in the middle of the marsh of despondency and jumps in there with them, saying, “Yeah, this really is miserable. I see what you mean.” Jonathan does not do that. He goes to David, and then strengthens David. Get that image in your head. Jonathan made David’s grip on God stronger. How did he do that? He pointed David to the promise God made to Him. “David, God anointed you with His Spirit by His prophet Samuel. You will be the King of Israel. And if you will be the king of Israel, then you will not be killed by my father before that time. Take heart. Do not fear!” Jonathan gave him a command (Do not fear) and then the basis of the command was rooted in God’s promise. Proverbs 12:25 “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.”