The Common Threads of Knitted Souls

Now it came about when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself. Saul took him that day and did not let him return to his father’s house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, including his sword and his bow and his belt. 1 Samuel 18:1-4

These verses come on the heels of David’s defeat of Goliath. Jonathan, much older than David, watched a boy become a champion for God. That day, something happened in Jonathan’s spirit. But it was not just a one way street—Jonathan admiring David. David shared the same feelings toward Jonathan. There was a spiritual connection between them. Two souls were knit together that day. A bond of friendship and fellowship formed between them such as exists only between brothers in the Lord. 

There was a whole army of men present that day, including three of David’s own brothers. However, being a member of that army didn’t forge the kind of unity that existed between David and Jonathan. Nor does simply being a member of the church mean that your soul will be knitted together in such a unity that existed between these two brothers in the Lord. 

David didn’t have such a relationship with his blood brothers. Jonathan didn’t share such a relationship with his father—although they were often partners in battle. The story of this relationship between David and Jonathan reveals the common threads shared by these two knitted souls. These same threads form a bond of unity share between true followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In describing this relationship, David called it a covenant of the Lord between himself and Jonathan. 1 Samuel 20:8a

The first thread that served to knit these two souls was this Common Covenant.

This was more than just a relationship between two friends. It was a relationship between brothers in the Lord. In a way, it is a relationship that mirrors Christ’s own relationship with the church—and therefore ought to mirror our relationships with one another.  

There are many people who are members of the church. Some don’t attend, but they are still members. Some  don’t give, but they are still members. Some don’t serve, but they are still members. Some don’t worship, but they are still members. But members of this kind are like the cowards in Saul’s army, who shared no camaraderie  with David and Jonathan. True members of God’s church have made a covenant of the Lord. They are bound together by cords that can’t be broken.

What do true brothers in the Lord have in common? We will find those characteristics in the fellowship of these two knitted souls.

The second thread that served to knit these two souls was a Common Cause.

Jonathan was himself a breed apart. More than once he risked his life for God’s honor and glory. And that day, as David came walking across that battlefield wagging that giant’s head, Jonathan realized that here was a lad whose heart beat in tune with his heart.

They shared the same vision, the same passion, and the same purpose. That vision and passion and purpose was to know God, serve God, honor God and bring Him glory. Jonathan recognized David as a man after God’s own heart. The passion of David’s heart fanned the flame of that same passion in Jonathan’s heart. The Bible says that as iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. Proverbs 27:17 

This was the relationship that existed between these two men. They each inspired the other to be better men. It all began with the thread of a common cause. That’s what brought them together. A church that gathers around the common cause of knowing God, worshipping God and bringing Him glory will be a congregation of knitted souls. A contagious unity will flow from that fellowship drawing others who long to serve God and bring Him glory. The bond of true unity in the church is held by the common threads of souls knitted together in a common covenant with the Lord and who share a common cause.

The third thread that served to knit these two souls was a Common Courage.

Prior to the time David fought Goliath, Jonathan emerged  among the soldiers of Saul’s army as a man of great courage.  

 Now the day came that Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to the young man who was carrying his armor, “Come and let us cross over to the Philistines’ garrison that is on the other side.” But he did not tell his father. ² Saul was staying in the outskirts of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron….⁶ Then Jonathan said to the young man who was carrying his armor, “Come and let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; perhaps the Lord will work for us, for the Lord is not restrained to save by many or by few.”1 Samuel 14:1-2a; 6

That day, Jonathan and his armor bearer proved to be more courageous than those men who sat in the shade with Saul.  Jonathan had a heart for God. He knew Who he was fighting for and who it was helping him in the battle. Jonathan, like David, fought that battle depending on the presence and power of God. 

That day, as Jonathan watched David stroll across that battlefield with nothing but his shepherd’s bag filled with five smooth stones, his shepherd’s staff, and his slingshot, he was watching someone who shared his own courage and his own confidence in God.

David’s courage was a moral courage. It was the courage to stand up for what was right and to stand against what was wrong. Such a courage will cause a man to stand apart from the cowardly who have no passion to stand up for what is right.  If you stand up for what is right,you will find that God’s true people will stand with you. Those otherwise will stand somewhere else.

The kind of courage needed in the church today is not only a moral courage. The church today needs a doctrinal courage. We are bound together by what we believe about God and what we believe about the Bible. 

It was a doctrinal courage—what David believed about God—that sent him to battle the giant. It was doctrinal courage—what Jonathan believed about God—that prompted him to leave the comfort of the shade and risk facing the enemies of God’s people. The threads that knit the souls of David and Jonathan were these threads of a common cause and a common courage as they stood bound together by a common covenant with the Lord.

There was a great contrast between Saul and Jonathan. They were members of the same family and members of the same army, but their souls were not knit like the souls of David and Jonathan. It was not just what Jonathan believed about David that separated him from his father. It was what he believed about God. It was doctrinal courage.

The church of the future, large or small, will not be men and women boys and girls whose names are on the church roll—whether they attend or not—whether they give or not—whether they serve or not.  The church of the future will be those whose souls are knit together by the threads of a common cause and a common courage who share a common covenant with the Lord Jesus Christ.

There was a fourth thread that knit together the souls of these men. It was a Common Commitment.

Jonathan loved David like he loved himself. If you read the story all the way through, to that moment when Jonathan loses his life, you will find that David laments over the loss of a brother who meant more to him than his own brothers by blood.

What a beautiful picture this is in Chapter 18: Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, including his sword and his bow and his belt. 1 Samuel 18:3-4

In these actions of Jonathan, he was at once brining David into the family, so to speak—but at the same time—he was surrendering his own position—his own glory—his own place in the kingdom to David. It is a picture of a great commitment on the part of Jonathan and a great confidence in that commitment on the part of David.

When we enter into fellowship with one another in the church, we enter into a similar covenant of commitment with one another. Jonathan esteemed David better than himself. We are to do the same toward our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:3-4

It is that kind of relationship that existed between David and Jonathan. They were committed to one another because they were both committed to God. It was Jonathan’s desire to empower David, to enable him to become the leader God meant for him to be. Jonathan took off his robe and gave it to David.  He clothed David with his armor. He girded David with his belt. He gave David his sword. Now David wore the robe of a prince, the belt of a prince, the armor of a prince and carried the sword and bow of a prince. There was no selfishness between them. Jonathan, like John the Baptist, would have said of David, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

The souls of David were knitted together by a common cause, a common courage, and a common commitment.  They were bound together in a common covenant with the Lord. They were committed to one another and they were committed to God’s kingdom. 

Likewise, you and I should be committed to God’s kingdom as it is represented through his church—not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. Church membership is not just on paper. It is not something you can put on your resume when you run for political office or drop into a news article when you want community attention. It is a commitment to a specific body of believers who share a common cause, a common courage, a common set of convictions, and a common commitment having entered into a common covenant with the Lord.

But they were not just committed to one another—they were set apart by their strong commitment to God. Each one’s own personal commitment to God fanned the flame of commitment in the other.

This week, I have reflected on that verse that says: A true friend is a gift of God.  Have you pondered the significance of that? Most of the time we read that and say, “Yeah, what a blessing a friend is.” That is not what the verse is saying. It is saying that a true friend is a gift to you from God. In other words, God is the one who purposefully brings that person into your life. That person may be a there for a lifetime. They may be present for only a short time. But when that person comes along—hopefully, each of you will recognize the other as God’s gift to you. Not just a random acquaintance—but somebody God brings into your life to challenge you to a deeper commitment—to bring you to a closer walk with Him—but also to help you know when the Lord is calling you to make a course correction in your life.

For me, the most beautiful part of this story is the last meeting between David and Jonathan. The whole of chapter 19 tells of the multiple efforts of Saul to put David to death. In Chapter 20, Jonathan comes to the reluctant realization that David is no longer safe in Saul’s house and that the time has come for David to depart. David and Jonathan agree on a signal Jonathan will use to warn David of danger and to confirm God is calling David away.

That is where we discover the final thread that knit together the souls of David and Jonathan—the thread of a Common Calling.

Both of these men were clearly called of God. Each of them had come to the kingdom for such a time as this. Their lives crossed, in the purpose of God. But their lives also parted according to that same purpose. David’s calling required that he leave the house of Saul. To stay would have been physically dangerous for David. 

There are also times in our lives when failing to adjust our lives to the next phase of God’s purpose is spiritually dangerous. There may not be a Saul seeking to kill us as there was for David. But there is a devil seeking to destroy us. Had Jonathan encouraged David to stay, it would have put at risk the greater purpose of God.

The final meeting between David and Jonathan is a moment of great sadness but greater commitment. Jonathan arranges to have David hide in a field. 

¹⁸ Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed because your seat will be empty. ¹⁹ When you have stayed for three days, you shall go down quickly and come to the place where you hid yourself on that eventful day, and you shall remain by the stone Ezel. ²⁰ I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target. ²¹ And behold, I will send the lad, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I specifically say to the lad, ‘Behold, the arrows are on this side of you, get them,’ then come; for there is safety for you and no harm, as the Lord lives. ²² But if I say to the youth, ‘Behold, the arrows are beyond you,’ go, for the Lord has sent you away. 1 Samuel 20:18-22

The story of what happened next is found in the verses below.

³⁵ Now it came about in the morning that Jonathan went out into the field for the appointment with David, and a little lad was with him. ³⁶ He said to his lad, “Run, find now the arrows which I am about to shoot.” As the lad was running, he shot an arrow past him.³⁷ When the lad reached the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the lad and said, “Is not the arrow beyond you?” ⁴¹ When the lad was gone, David rose from the south side and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed three times. And they kissed each other and wept together, but David wept the more. ⁴² Jonathan said to David, “Go in safety, inasmuch as we have sworn to each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord will be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants forever.’” Then he rose and departed, while Jonathan went into the city. 1 Samuel 20:35-42

Jonathan and David realized that while their journey together on this earth was about to end—their friendship was forever. The very threads that knit them together would also be the basis of their separation. David had a calling from God as did Jonathan. That calling for each of them was their highest priority in life. 

The only thing that binds some of us together is that our names appear on the same church roll. But those who belong to the fellowship of souls knitted by common threads share a common calling, a common commitment, a common cause and a common courage. They have entered into a forever covenant with the Lord. What does that mean? It means that some in the church share a fellowship that will last forever. Some share a fellowship that will last only in this life. But friends are friends forever when they are friends connected by the common thread of a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Some of you are connected to me through the words that I write. You read them. You relate to them with a deep passion that reveals these common threads. For others, these are just words on paper. You can’t relate. You read them as an outsider, curious, but a true stranger to their meanings. What is it that you need that would allow you to feel such a connection—to know the common threads of knitted souls? You need a relationship with the Jesus Christ. You need to meet Him. You need to know Him. Your soul needs to be knit to Him first of all. I would like nothing more than to help you make that connection. And for all of you whose souls are knit to mine in this covenant of the Lord, we may never meet in this life, but because of our relationship to Him we share a forever friendship. We are bound together by the common threads of knitted souls!

Photo by David Clode