While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life. And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him strength in God.
1 Samuel 23:15-16
One Spring evening in 1975, my family was sitting down to dinner–all but my oldest brother, who’d just gotten his driver’s license.
The phone rang and my mom answered, but something was off. She hardly said anything. After listening for several seconds, she spoke: “Where is he?”
My sixteen year old brother had been in a car accident and was being taken to a local hospital, his condition unknown.
My parents rushed out the door, headed for the ER. I can still see dad’s crumpled napkin on the table next to mom’s unfinished plate.
Our fifteen year old brother stayed behind to look after my younger brother and me. Calmly, he plopped clumps of extra potatoes on our plates. “You’d better have some more,” he said. It felt surreal, the three of us dining in silence across from a trio of empty chairs.
Despite being only seven years old, I wasn’t afraid. My older brother had everything under control. It would be years until I realized how truly worried he was for our oldest brother.
He did what was needed.
Jonathan and David, of ancient Israel, were best friends: the king’s son and a shepherd boy turned superhero. But King Saul, Jonathan’s dad, had gone mad. He was jealous of David, fearing the popular young man who had slayed the Philistine warrior Goliath. With murderous rage, he chased him into the desert seeking to kill him.
But prince Jonathan risked his life to get to David before his dad and helped him find strength in God. At the same time, he was truly worried about his own father.
He did what was needed.
Back to the dinner table. My parents called about an hour later. Our oldest brother had a broken jaw but would be OK.
Here’s to Jonathan and my brother, Ron: two courageous caregivers who helped others find strength in God.
Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.
Psalm 32:24
