| I relish stories about love, not just the romantic kind between a man and woman, but love between any two people. One of the most beautiful love stories in the Bible is the story of Jonathan and David.
Their souls were knit together, the Bible says (1 Sam. 18:1 KJV). Like-hearted, like-minded, standing shoulder to shoulder, looking face-forward together, theirs is a unique story. Even though their friendship ended in tragedy, David’s love for Jonathan, his extraordinary friend, lived on through David’s relationship with Jonathan’s disabled son, Mephibosheth. David’s love for Jonathan went beyond the grave: “Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death” (Song 8:6 KJV).
Mephibosheth should have been hunted down and killed by David, because Jonathan’s son could have posed a threat to the throne. But remember, love is stronger than death. So Mephibosheth enjoyed a place prepared just for him at the king’s table.
Perhaps King David saw in the young man’s face the features of his beloved friend. Maybe when Mephibosheth smiled, David could see a vestige of Jonathan’s grin. The young man could have had his father’s eyes. His inflections. Plus, the two shared memories of the loved one they had in common.
It’s a love story, all right. And maybe, like Mephibosheth, we might cry out to God, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?” (2 Sam. 9:8). We should know the answer. It lies in this story of love and friendship.
God the Father invites us to his table to commune with him, because he sees in our countenance the remembrance of his dearly beloved Son. There is something about us, those of us who are hid with Christ, that shows a trace of Jesus. Little wonder that God delights to welcome us to his table.
It is for Jesus’ sake that he raises us from poverty to nobility. Now that’s a love story.
God, our Father, thank you for looking on me and seeing Jesus in me. Thank you for your loving grace and for allowing me to be a part of the greatest love story ever. |
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