Do you
have someone you could call in the middle of the night if you needed help?
Bible teacher Ray Pritchard calls these people “2 a.m. friends.” If you have an
emergency, this kind of friend would ask you two questions: “Where are you?”
and “What do you need?”
Friends
like that are crucial during difficult times. Jonathan was that type of friend
for David. Jonathan’s father, King Saul—who was filled with envy at David’s
popularity and God’s blessing on him—tried to kill him (1 Sam.
19:9-10). David escaped and asked his friend for help (ch. 20).
While David hid in the field, Jonathan sat at dinner with his father and
quickly realized that Saul did indeed intend to kill David (vv.24-34).
Because
of their deep friendship, Jonathan “was grieved for David” (v.34). He warned
him of his father’s plan and told him he should leave (vv.41-42). David recognized
what a good friend he had in Jonathan. The Bible says they wept together, “but
David more so” (v.41). Their souls were “knit” together.
Do you
have loving Christian friends you can count on in a crisis? Are you someone
your friends would call a “2 a.m. friend”?
A true
friend stands with us in times of trial. (RBC)
