Human response 444: Friends Encourage One Another

1 Samuel 23:16, 18 And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God…And the two made a covenant before the Lord:

Saul was still pursuing David with intent to kill him, when Jonathan met with David, on the run. The two were such close friends they even made a covenant with each other before the Lord. Their bond of fellowship was so strong that Jonathan give heart, strength, and courage to David, even though he was a fugitive on the run for his life. It is odd that he would be close friends with the son of his enemy.

We can trust the Lord to send some fellow Christian into our lives to give us strength and encouragement when we need it. The fellowship of Christian love is more important than we often realize. Our response in the Church is twofold: 1) look for those friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, who are able to comfort and encourage us in the Lord, and 2) look for others in need whom we have opportunity to comfort and encourage.

We note that this mutual strengthening is in the Lord. It is not merely human ideas and psychological knowledge, but it is using the truth of God’s Word and the wisdom of God’s Love to encourage one another. Believe the promise that He will not leave us alone, but He provides people to be strengthened and people to strengthen us. We will find fellow believers who either need our encouragement or can give us encouragement. This is God’s gift of the “mutual consolation and conversation of the brethren.”