What does biblical friendship look like?
February 5-9, 2024 | Always Peachy Devotionals | Friendship Week 1
A real friend is a priceless gift.
Do you agree with that statement? I’ve found it to be true, personally. The Lord has given me so many friendships in my life, and I wouldn’t be the person I am today without those relationships.
I can tell you stories from childhood friendships that shaped me. I can share adventures from high school friendships that challenged me. I can recount experiences through college and my career that refined me and taught me what it means to love Jesus and love people.
Many times, I feel that my friends are the best part of who I am. God gave them to me because He knew I needed their influences so that I could become the person He wanted me to be.
God absolutely sends us our friends. I believe that without a doubt in my mind. God puts people in our lives all the time, but every now and then He sends someone who just clicks with us. They like the same things we do, they enjoy the same hobbies, and maybe that means they are just as weird as you are.
That doesn’t mean every person in your life should be your friend. Not at all. Granted, some of you extroverts try it. But even so, you can’t be close friends with everyone you meet. It’s impossible.
So who are the ones that make the cut? Who are the people you choose to spend your time with? And how do you know what it should look like to be friends with someone?
Well, would you be shocked to know the Bible has a lot to say about friendship? The Bible has a lot to say about a lot of things, and the idea of friendship and community is paramount among them. In fact, one of the greatest friendships in the history of the world is found in the Bible. It’s the story of Jonathan, the son of King Saul and the crown prince of Israel, and a teenage boy named David who happened to kill a giant.
David and Jonathan’s friendship is legendary. Just reading their story brings me to tears. I love them so much, mostly because they loved each other so dearly. They were best friends, and neither of them had to be. I think that’s the point.
So for this week, to learn more about what a biblical friendship should look like, we’re going to take a look at David and Jonathan. We’re going to look at how they loved each other, and we’re going to see what we can learn from them.
Feb 5 - It required a commitment (1 Samuel 18:1-4)
Feb 6 - It required honesty (1 Samuel 20:3-4)
Feb 7 - It required sacrifice (1 Samuel 20:42)
Feb 8 - It required sharing hard times (2 Samuel 1:25-26)
Feb 9 - It required showing up (2 Samuel 9:7-8)
They had a beautiful friendship, and I can’t wait to talk about it in more detail this week.
Is there another friendship in the Bible that you thought of when I mentioned this? Maybe Jesus and John? Jesus and John had an amazing relationship. Other than David and Jonathan, is there a friendship in Scripture that brings you joy?
Since we’re focused on David and Jonathan this week, I thought our memory verse ought to be connected to them in some way. That’s what led me to 1 Samuel 18:3.
I love this verse so much. Jonathan made a solemn pact with David in regards to their friendship. Isn’t that beautiful? They agreed that they would be friends. They committed to each other.
And Jonathan didn’t have to do this, you realize. David was the one who would take the kingdom from Saul, from Jonathan. Jonathan had every right to hate David. But he didn’t. He loved him.
I hope that each of you have someone in your life who is a friend to you in the way Jonathan was to David. If you have a friend like that, I hope you have told them what that means to you.
Blessings to you all
Amy
Remember! These Sunday intro emails are free, but if you want the actual daily devotions, you need to subscribe: