I have been blessed to enjoy good friendships all of my life. I grew up with a group of friends in my neighborhood. I had a group of good friends at church. We didn’t always do good things but we were young then. Now adults, many of us are still good friends. When my wife Pam and I met more than fifty years ago, it was in a group of friends. We became friends even before we found the love that has held us together for all of our adult lives. Friendship makes life better! Does the Bible have anything to say about this? Yes! Today, let’s consider a wonderful passage that is very meaningful to me; a passage about a great biblical friendship:

…Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. (1 Sam. 23:16)

One of the greatest blessings in life is the blessing of friendship. Real friends stick with us when they might have good reasons to abandon us. Sometimes they tell us the truth—things we don’t want to hear but things we need to hear. They help us when we need help. They are with us when we're in trouble and they're with us in times of celebration. Jonathan and David went through a lot together. Jonathan's father was King Saul. Saul hated David and tried many times to kill him, even though David was having great success in battle. In fact, the passage just before today’s passage tells us about one of Saul’s attempts. “While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life.” And that was when, “Jonathan went to David and helped him find strength in God.” I like that, don't you? Do you have friends who help you find strength in God? By God’s grace, I do. Do you ever help your friends find strength in God? I pray that you do. Lasting friendship is a wonderful gift from God.  Today, take time to thank God for the wonderful gift of lasting friendships. God uses those friendships to bless and help us throughout our lives...and that is very Good News!