FRIENDS FOR A SEASON
Micah Smith
Today's Scripture: "As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul." 1 Samuel 18:1, ESV
Theme: When we truly follow God's lead, friendships reflect the kind of loyalty and affection God offers.
THE FRIENDSHIPS I REMEMBER
I grew up with six friends who basically did everything together from first grade to high school. We played sports together, went to school together, and then three of us even ended up at the same college. Those were the days of driveway basketball until dark, sitting on someone's couch eating Gushers while watching SportsCenter for the fifth time on repeat, and having zero responsibilities beyond homework and the occasional big test.
When I think about biblical friendship, my mind, unfortunately, immediately goes to Michael W. Smith's song "Friends" - "And a friend's a friend forever, if the Lord's the Lord of them." That will be stuck in your head all day. You’re welcome. That song is a wonderful sentiment, and honestly, I still consider those guys my friends. But our friendship looks drastically different now. We have families, careers, mortgages, and responsibilities that those teenage versions of ourselves couldn't have imagined. We don't have time for driveway basketball anymore. Our lives have moved in different directions, different cities, different seasons. And that's okay.
THE FRIENDSHIP GOD ORCHESTRATES
Jonathan and David's friendship is one of the most profound in Scripture. Their souls were "knit" together - Jonathan loved David as himself. But here's what's remarkable: Jonathan's loyalty to David cost him everything. He gave up his claim to the throne, defied his father King Saul, and ultimately chose God's plan over his own future. Their friendship wasn't about convenience or shared hobbies: it was about Jonathan recognizing God's hand on David's life and choosing to be faithful in that season.
One of my childhood friends ended up joining the same fraternity as I did in college. I won't pretend I joined for noble reasons, but between our freshman and sophomore years, my life changed dramatically. I got involved with a Greek life Bible study and invited him to come along. God used that season of friendship to transform both our lives as we saw Greek life transform from, “Where’s the next party?” to “How can we be a light in a really dark place?” Today, he works with student athletes at a Christian university. We don't talk every week or hang out like we used to, but God used our friendship for His purposes in that specific season.
Maybe God-led friendship isn't about finding one perfect "forever friend" who stays in exactly the same relationship with you through every life stage. Maybe it's about being faithful to the people God puts in our lives for the seasons He gives us, offering loyalty, encouragement, and pointing each other toward Him, even when the relationship looks different than it once did.
Make it Personal: Who has God placed in your life for this current season? Are you being faithful to show up, encourage, and reflect God's character to them, even if the friendship doesn't look like what you had in childhood or what culture says it "should" look like? What would it mean to love them "as your own soul" in practical ways right now?
Pray: Father, thank You for the friends You've placed in my life throughout different seasons. Help me be faithful to the people You've put around me now, showing them the same loyalty and affection You show me. Teach me to value the friendships I have rather than mourning the ones that have changed. Give me wisdom to be the kind of friend You're calling me to be today. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Read: 1 Samuel 18:1-4, 20:1-42
Weekly Memory Verse:
“He who withholds kindness from a friend
forsakes the fear of the Almighty.” Job 6:14, ESV