We all need God. We need God to be our friend. And he is our friend, because of Jesus' blood shed on the cross, reconciling us to him.

But we all need earthly friends, too. We need a person we can trust, confide in, and be confident that we have their love and their support -- no matter what.

That's what Jonathan was to David. And David to Jonathan.

A friend.

Do you have one or two of these? If not, pray and work hard until you find one. Most of all, don't fool yourself into thinking you really don't need a friend.

You do.

And if you're struggling with how to get started, do what David and Jonathan did. Don't look for someone who might be willing to be a friend to you.

Instead, look for someone you would be willing to be a friend to.

"Jonathan said to David, 'Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord, saying, 'The Lord is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.' Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town." (1 Samuel 20:42, NIV).

Our Bible reading for today is 1 Samuel 19:1 - 20:42, John 17:6-26 and Psalm 68:7-14.

Lord, help me be a friend to someone who needs a friend. And help me to love this friend the way you first loved and befriended me -- with pure grace!

Header image based on "Four Friends" by cowboytrix, CC By 2.0