Family Full of Emotions

Seems like where ever Saul is there is a wide range of emotions. 1 Samuel 19 isnt any different!

I'm struck by the conundrum Jonathan finds himself. Not only does he have a strong covenantal friendship with David, but he also has a clear understanding that David is to be the next king. But the present king is his father, who is instructing him, and all his staff, to bump-off David.

But what an encouragement it is to see Jonathan's loyalty to David. Despite the threat of his father's fury Jonathan risks warning David of Saul's plan to kill him. Jonathan took to himself the principle that "we ought to obey God rather than men...even if it is our king and our father!"

I'm sure everyone must desire to have a friend who will stick up for them with such fortitude and faithfulness. Someone to "greatly delight" in you? How thankful I am that I have such a friend in Jesus Christ!

Jonathan didn't just NOT help Saul, he proactively assisted David. He didn't play a Pilate in this deadly plot, but actually got his hands dirty to help his best friend escape from Saul's rage.

So Jonathan didn't just warn David, but he went to the king himself and interceded on David's behalf and attempted to convince Saul that he really should appreciate David and treat him well.

After Jonathan's sound reasoning brought Saul to a point of reconciliation, war breaks out again with the Philistines. And with the success of David victoriously slaughtering the Philistines, Saul's ire is resurrected.

The distressing spirit descends on Saul again, and it seems to be intimately connected to jealousy. The reason Jesus was crucified, according to Matthew, was because of envy. Oh the strength of jealousy and envy.

I would love to look more closely at Michal and the reason she protected David from her father's wrath. But an early morning tomorrow with Bill Glass Ministries is compelling me to take leave and go to bed!

If anyone is reading this before Saturday 8-3pm, please pray the prison ministry outreach. That the women there will understand a little more the joys of Jesus Christ and have their lives changed by Him.

Lord Jesus, protect me from jealousy, envy and any other negative emotion that can create irrational and deadly thoughts. Thank You for the kind of faithfulness and love that protects us from all the wiles of the enemy.