20 January 2022

Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul, saying to him, ‘The king should not sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have been of good service to you; for he took his life in his hand when he attacked the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great victory for all Israel.

From 1 Samuel 18:6-9,19:1-7, NRSV

Following the slaying of Goliath, King Saul became annoyed when the women gave David the credit for greater victories than his own. David’s popularity soon overshadowed Saul’s whose jealousy of David grew to the point that he intended to kill him. Saul tried to kill David by throwing a spear at him but David escaped. Saul let it be known that he was looking for other ways to kill David. Support for David came from an unlikely source in the person of Jonathan, Saul’s son. Jonathan was regarded as the “heir apparent” to the throne of Israel. However, Jonathan had befriended David and had set aside his own claim to the throne in favour of someone he saw as God’s choice. Jonathan was able to persuade his father, at least for the time being, that he should not kill David.

• • Why do you suppose Jonathan was able to recognise David as the rightful successor to his father?
  • Is jealousy a normal human response – can we do anything to prevent acting from jealousy?

Pray today for those who are so consumed by envy that they fail to recognise their own giftedness and that of others.