JONATHAN A Man with Broken Dreams
WHILE SCRIPTURE DOES NOT GIVE THE DETAILS, Jonathan was probably a young boy when his father, Saul, became king of Israel. Even as a young man, Jonathan displayed unusual courage, tenacity, and bravery in battle. He was also known as a man of faith who trusted in the Lord God. In the face of overwhelming odds against the Philistines, Jonathan said, “Perhaps the LORD will help us, for nothing can hinder the LORD. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!” (14:6).
What happens when your dream becomes someone else’s reality?
As the king’s son, Jonathan surely expected that he would one day succeed his father and assume extraordinary power and responsibility. After David defeated the giant Goliath, the two men developed an immediate bond (18:1). Jonathan’s commitment to David was seen in his gifts of armor and a robe for his new friend. But David’s rise to prominence and his anointing by the prophet Samuel would ultimately end Jonathan’s dream of kingship. Even then, Jonathan’s deep faith and loyalty to David remained. When his own father attempted to kill his friend, Jonathan helped David escape and live (20:12-13). The last time they spoke together, Jonathan said, “Don’t be afraid. . . . My father will never find you! You are going to be the king of Israel, and I will be next to you, as my father, Saul, is well aware” (23:17). The two men made a pact before God (23:18), and their friendship remained true to the end of Jonathan’s life.
When another person enjoys the successes you had been dreaming of, it requires a deep faith in God to lay down your dreams and support theirs. Have you learned to give God glory and to love the one who “wins”? In a way, what Jonathan did for David is a small picture of what Jesus did for us. Though Jesus deserved all praise, he took our punishment so that we could become children of the king and inherit all of his promises. We can trust that his dreams for us are perfect and that they will come to pass in his timing.