MY JONATHAN

1 Samuel 20
"Jonathan, out of his deep love for David, made a covenant with him. He formalized it with solemn gifts: his own royal robe and weapons—armor, sword, bow, and belt."
"Jonathan repeated his pledge of love and friendship for David. He loved David more than his own soul!"
2 Samuel 1:26
O my dear brother Jonathan, I'm crushed by your death. Your friendship was a miracle-wonder, love far exceeding anything I've known— or ever hope to know. (David)



At Wednesday night's 'School of the Bible' we have been studying "11 indispensable relationships you can't be without" by Leonard Sweet. Chapter two explores 'Who's your Jonathan’, your true friend. This gave me many 'Thoughts For The Week', thoughts of a lifetime. Maybe your have already guessed what these thoughts might be. You may know that "indispensable" can not begin to describe this relationship. But on the off chance that these thoughts are news to you, I will continue.

My Jonathan, my true friend promised me so much....

"I ... take you ... to be my wife,
I promise to be true to you,
To love you,
To share with you all that I have
I will try to help you to grow
to be more fully yourself,
I ask that you be patient with me,
I will love you
In good times and in bad times
In times that we have much,
In times that we have little
I will honor you and cherish you
As long as we both shall live.
I love you."

.... he has kept those promises...

'A Jonathan walks with you in all seasons...'*
I read that 80% of couples with a sick or disabled child will divorce. (I never went in for statistics. I am to left brain for that) in 1988 after only three years of marriage, Samantha joined us. Blind, stiff, always in pain, with frightening seizures, unable to comfort, not wanting our touch.
I was trained to care for Sammi; I'd worked as a nurse in a Hospital\Home for children just like my daughter. But my Jonathan, my true friend had no idea what was in store for us! Twenty years of diapers and wipes, heavy duty laundry soap. Couches and carpets were now disposable, coffee tables dangerous. Co-pays he didn't know how to pay and his partner no longer able to contribute to the budget.
He never stopped to think...it's not my job to change her diaper. Instead he let our son know that he could and should now help because he was a man.

'...like (in) the winter of your discontent, when a miasma of gloom settles like a fog around your soul...'*

I've heard that 80% of men leave when one of the children is out of control. A runaway, a thief, addicted to booze and drugs, in jail, homeless, angry and hurt. Together we told our teenager to leave, but more than once my Jonathan has offered him our home again. He would do what he knew was right. My Jonathan, my true friend, protected our family the best he could with both a gentle and tough love.

'A Jonathan believes in you when no one else does.'*
Most likely 80% of husbands would not tolerate their wife’s 'calling' to bring home every baby, child, teenagers, or adult, she thought needed help. Not to mention dog, cat, rodent or reptile. My Jonathan, my true friend, looked into his heart and saw it was a 'calling' they both shared. He has opened our home to eighteen children (two homemade), a few Adults, and a menagerie of assorted pets. (That he tried his best to ignore) Some for as little as two weeks and a couple for the duration. Even when we were surrounded by eight children (four in diapers), he never forgot his promise. There may have been a few days of exasperation and exhaustion but even last month he was s still saying 'sure' when it looked like seven more would be showing up soon.

'A Jonathan stanches the internal bleeding from your blanched body when depression...drains the life from your soul.'*

I think that about 80% of those guys whose wives were Bi-polar would skip town. My Jonathan, my true friend, stood by me and helped me to stand. When I could barely leave the couch, care for the kids, or myself. When the mania moved from feelings of high energy, creativity, and productiveness...to out of control spending, loving, hating, and a mind cycling round and round like a hamster on a wheel. Finally a blur of symptoms both high and low at the same time. Instead of leaving he tried yelling, pushing, whispering... anything it took until I would admit that I suffered from the same illness that shaped the lives of my Grandmother and all her children.

'A Jonathan gives and gives and wants no payment.'*

My Jonathan, my true friend, hasn't stood by me because of a sense of obligation. Not just because he is a Godly man, honorable man, or just because he takes his vows seriously.

'A Jonathan has seen you naked, in all your treachery and lechery, at your most heinous and most luminous, and loves you anyway.'*

My Jonathan, my husband, stands with me because he is my true fiend. He is my best friend. Because every time I look at him with bewilderment (why?) he always replies 'because I love you.'
... Your friendship was a miracle-wonder, love far exceeding anything I've known— or ever hope to know.... (David) 2Samuel 1:26
Dawn Marie