CHEERLEADERS
When I think of my friend David (see Dedication), he reminds me of the story of David and Jonathon. One of the more intimate verses in the Holy Bible is found in 1 Samuel 18: 1: “the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.”
Who is Jonathan? He is Saul’s son, who also killed 20 Philistines in his first battle with his armorbearer. They did this without Saul’s knowledge.
There was a great battle between King Saul of the Israelites and the Philistines that the Lord saved Israel (1 Samuel 14:23) where the enemy fled. Saul gathers the people giving them an oath telling them anyone that eats food is cursed because they were distressed about the battle. A battle they won.
Jonathan did not hear this oath eating honey for food where his eyes became spiritually enlightened. Somebody saw Jonathan eat the honey, telling him his father cursed anyone that eats food. Jonathan answers, my father troubled this land but look at how my eyes have been enlightened because I tasted a little bit of honey. He must have been aware of how great they slaughtered the Philistines.
Since Saul made the oath with a curse, the people and Saul debated whether Jonathan should be killed for eating the honey. The people tell Saul, God forbid should we kill Jonathan. It is good to have friends because they saved Jonathan from shear death.
David just killed Goliath in 1 Samuel 18 bringing the head of Goliath to Saul. Jonathan is present when David finishes telling the story about killing Goliath. He makes a covenant with David giving him his robe, garments, sword, bow, and girdle.
David would go to battle wherever Saul would send him. As time moved on, David returned from battle. The women came out to the streets singing and dancing, Saul kills thousands, David kills 10,000’s. This made Saul very mad and quite jealous. Saul tells Jonathan and his servants; they need to kill David.
Jonathan tells David to hide in a secret place. He told Saul how good a person David is who has not sinned against him but has done very good works. Saul listens to Jonathan telling him that David will live as the Lord lives, David will not be killed by him.
David and Jonathan continued to be knit at the soul-making several covenants together. We turn to 2 Samuel 1 where Jonathan and Saul are killed in battle. David talks to a young man asking how he knows they are dead. The Amalekite, an enemy soldier, tells David he met Saul in battle who leaned on his spear. Saul asked me to kill him, so I did.
Jonathan had a son, Mephibosheth, who was crippled. David sought out Mephibosheth saying you can have all the land of Saul and will eat bread at my table forever.
Like Jonathan and David, my life has been filled with intimate people who I call the “Cheerleaders”. Every journey God takes me on, people come into my life to add their “cheers” of love and joy. Some unfortunately were taken too early breathing their last breath, but their cheers still sing. David was my Jonathon which is an irony.
It takes a special person to be a cheerleader. There are people in my life where I get to be their cheerleader. My hope is each of you has cheerleaders and are also cheerleaders for others. The intimacy of friends is knit to the soul.
