The friendship between David and Saul’s son Jonathan is remarkable under the circumstances. Jonathan would have been heir apparent to the throne of Israel which sat on his father’s head at the time. Yet, David was the one who had been named by Samuel as the rightful king of Israel. Saul tried to kill David to protect his role as King. Jonathan protected David at the expense of his role as the heir apparent.

Luz Long, a German Olympic long jumper was the Nazi Aryan champion. Jesse Owens was the black American son of a sharecropper. Hitler was fanatical about proving the superiority of the Aryan race especially over blacks. Needless to say, Owens was not the most popular entry into the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

Luz Long came alongside of Owens and encouraged him and befriended him and gave him the advice which enabled him to set a world record of 26 feet 8 1/4 inches which would stand for 25 years. The first person to congratulate him was Luz Long – in full view of Adolf Hitler.

Owens never again saw Long, who was killed in World War II, but Wallechensky quotes Owens as saying, “You could melt down all the medals and cups I have and they wouldn’t be platting on the 24-carat friendship I felt for Luz Long.”

David felt that way about Jonathan. But what better friend could you or I ask for than the friend who sticks closer than a brother. What a friend we have in Jesus! See the signature verse below.

Chuck
 “Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live.” Galatians 1:4