Mizpah

This morning I read 1 Samuel 20 which is an account of David and Jonathan and Jonathan's attempt to protect David from Saul trying to kill him. Saul is Jonathan's father and yet Jonathan cares more about protecting David perhaps because their soul's were joined together as I wrote about before.

This beautiful friendship that they have is something that I never hear about when I hear teachings from 1 Samuel. You never hear "David-- soulmate of Jonathan" or "David- Jonathan's best man" you hear David "a man after God's own heart" David "the king" I'd argue though that the greatness that David is known for is because of the Lord and his friendship with Jonathan. That friendship that is a sanctifying friendship built on Christ and who's whole goal is to edify each other and grow eachother. Something built on the perfect love of Christ and not on the evil of the world. It's beautiful and rare and something so rare about a friendship like this perhaps because there are so few people that are spirit led. The bible says the path is narrow, the harvest is plenty but the workers are few, and that is for sure true. To see Jonathan's commitment to David we can read verse 4:
4 So Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you yourself desire, I will do it for you.”

Here jonathan is willing to help David and it's beautiful his commitment to him  and you know that their friendships is kindled together by God so the strength in that is incredible. We see the impract of this in their farewell in 41/41:
 41....And they kissed one another; and they wept together, but David more so. Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘May the Lord be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants, forever.’” So he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.42 ‘May the Lord be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants, forever.’” So he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.

I can see this. A heartwrenching all out crying goodbye. I've had a few of these in my life and I definitely think the thought "there is nothing good about goodbye" is flowing through their heads. But what I love is that they say "May the Lord be betweeen you and me and between departed" they see what so few see that God is bigger than ourselves, bigger than our plans and desires and bigger than any space that could separate us.

This is mizpah-- seen in Genesis 31:49. "And Mizpah; for he said, The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another."" It's a bond that is from the Lord alone that when separated has strength. Many people wear a split mizpah coin with their beloved and I always found it to be such a beautiful testament to his power and grace.

What I get most from this and why I stopped at 20 alone is that I think many times we get stuck in where God wants us physically and we forget that God also has built us for relationship and that design includes not just with Him but with His people. It's the people He puts in our life, that won't be perfect, that will fail us, but that are absolutely beautiful. The bible tells us it is not good for us to be alone and I think this is alone from God and alone from His spirit. It tells us in Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”  This right here. He is with them. That is why Jonathan and David are so close. It's not because of themselves but because God with with them. Imamnuel is the basis of their relationship and that is strong so no wonder they don't want to depart. 


Ecc 4:12 says ""Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." This verse is used many times in weddings because it signifies that one alone is not God's design, two is stronger, yet two people rooted in God is a strength that is beautiful.

From experience I can tell you that my friendships and past relationships that were not rooted in Him were not strong. They were not full of peace and understanding. They did not have patience. They were not slow to anger and quick to love. Thus, they were not of Him and if there is anything I've learned from Jonathan and David is that is what we should want. The friendships and relationships that say "I will do it for you, I will help you, I will be there, and together we will do God's will."  Francis chan did a thing on marriage (http://raychoi.org/2011/08/08/francis-chan-and-his-wife-lisa-talk-about-marriage-pt-2-of-3/) He makes the comment that if two people are following the spirit you are going to go in the same direction because there is only one spirit. I recommend it. I'd argue the point he makes is true for friendship too. Jonathan and David weren't lovers they were the best of friends and their souls were woven together by the spirit. BEAUTIFUL!

So I'm thankful for God giving me friendships like jonathan and David in my life. This christimas instead of buying things for people I'm writing to thank them for being what good and perfect gifts from above (James  1:17). Not that they are perfect but that the God in them IS perfect and it's that that we are built on. I don't have many friends like this. I could probably count them on one hand. On both hands if I count those who maybe our relationship wasn't founded on Christ but He has become a part of it. I want to thank them for being a blessing in my life so that there is no question that if God called us to separate like He called Jonathan and David that it would be Mizpah. That the Lord would be between us. I don't want to leave it to chance that they know I care and yet this is somethign I don't do well. I don't do the sharing of feelings and emotions for people well. It's a weakness and I need to strengthen it as I serve a God that is Love and I'm called to be like Him. Not that I don't love I just don't express it well. I want to be sure they know wihtout a shadow of a doubt that I believe they are God given. I want them to know without a shadow of a doubt that I'm there for them and I appreciate where they have been there for me. I think this is what people truly want instead of stuff. They want to know they are loved and cherish. They want to know that you care. They want to be valued and wanted. So this Christmas that is what I'm giving.

As I write these letters I keep telling myself that despite that I feel like some of them say too much and maybe are too deep that I hope to convey this bond between Jonathan and David. They knew eachother, they accepted eachothers faults, they comforted eachother, they served one enough out of love, and they loved the Lord. That sounds like the perfect gift to me.

As we continue praying I pray for God's presence in all my relationships and friendships. That everything be built on Him and not on the world. That we be three strands not easily broken, something that can only happen with Him in the center.

1+1=2 but really equals 1 if you add Him. and it's a stronger 1 at that.
That's the standard. Connections between people that are sanctified through Christ, led by the Holy Spirit and covered in grace from God. There will be conflict. There will be mistakes, There will be learning but if that's the heart of it- that is my idea of perfection. That's what I'm thankful for this Christmas and each and everyday that God would bless me that much to give me friendships that are like Jonathan and David.

One last little bit--- Mizpah means "look out" and "watch tower"-- I'd argue that this is not just to have God look out for the bond, not just to look out for eachtoher but more importantly that both people are looking out toward God and following Him. Looking up not left or right that makes it work.

I've seen this around and I'd argue that in those two bottom corners you can put any two people. If both of you are running toward God it will definitely bring you closer together not just in marriage but in all relationships that are spirit led.

I pray that you find this. That you find Mizpah which comes only from his presence!

We can the caring that can be built on him and what a spirit led friendship or relationship should look like in 1 corinthians 13:
⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
 ⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
 ¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 

So whether your David- star of the show or Jonathan- the supporting man-- look for these types of relationships and be praying that Gods pressence spread even into all relationships that you have