Yielded to Christ - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2025

The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
1 Samuel 18:1

Yielded to Christ
We can imagine that as David went to meet Goliath, and as Goliath advanced to meet David, the armies on both sides of the valley would be watching breathlessly; so much depended on the outcome. Jonathan was one of those who on Israel's side watched while David went to meet the giant. Even he wouldn't dare to face Goliath. David's victory was really, as it were, Jonathan's deliverance. From that time on, Jonathan really loved David. Twice we read that he "loved him as his own soul."

Here Jonathan gives us a good example to follow. David is a type of the Lord Jesus who has fought and defeated a worse enemy than Goliath. He has won for us a greater deliverance than slavery to the Philistines. Jonathan really loved David from that time on. Our Savior has won a far greater victory and has achieved a far greater deliverance for us. Do we love the One who saved us? David risked his life to save Israel; the Lord Jesus gave His life to save us. How much do we love Him? His love for us surpasses knowledge; it can't be measured in human terms. But such love requires a response from us. Look at Jonathan's reaction: "And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David even to his sword, and to his bow" (v. 4). As the king's son he probably wore a special robe, and as a soldier he was fully equipped. He took all of those things and gave them to David, as if he was handing himself over to David saying, "David, I'm your man."

Here is a beautiful example to follow in Jonathan. We have a Savior, the Lord Jesus, who gave His life to save us and who accomplished a far greater deliverance than David had accomplished for Jonathan. Are we ready to yield ourselves to the Lord Jesus like Jonathan yielded himself to David?

Steve Labelle