Covenant Friendship

Pastor and author Eugene Peterson, has reflected, “Friendship is a much underestimated aspect of spirituality. It’s every bit as significant as prayer and fasting. Like the sacramental use of water and bread and wine, friendship takes what’s common in human experience and turns it into something holy.” What value have you placed on commitment in your friendships? What has this looked like or what might you want it to look like?

Read 1 Samuel 18:1-9 and 20:41-42. What united Jonathan and David together? How did their shared vision shape their friendship? Note the political ramifications for Jonathan (first-born son of King Saul) being friends to this extent with David. What challenges were there for the friendship between Jonathan and David?

In what ways does the friendship between David and Jonathan challenge or encourage you understanding and practice of friendship?

Justin Early in Made for People writes, “The promise of social media is to be fully seen and fully liked. But the promise of covenant friendship is to be fully known and fully loved. The two are very different…We should throw off all uses of technology that distract us from being fully known and fully loved by friends.”  Technology can give us the impression we are connected but leave us without an embodied reality of being known and loved. How have you wrestled with this in your life? What practices have helped you establish and enjoy friendships where you and your friend are known and loved?

Jonathan was willing to risk his life for David, but Jesus actually lost his life for us on the cross. We are fully known and fully loved in Christ. When we receive the covenant friendship of Jesus, we are empowered and equipped to be a covenanted friend. In what ways are you remembering and enjoying your friendship with Jesus? How is your friendship with Jesus transforming your friendships in this season?