This portion of scripture just grips my heart. Today as I was reading I saw something I hadn’t seen before.

Jonathan had a tender and selfless heart. But is was bowed only the the God of Israel. And in the place of Jonathan’s surrendered heart, God joined two friends together and used their friendship to change the trajectory of both of their family lines forever.

If you think about it, Jonathan was in line to be the next king of Israel. His upbringing would have reflected a royalty’s education. But God chose David instead. In a heart that is self-serving and self centered, their friendship would not even have existed.

But these two men both walked with God, and God protected both men and their future generations, because of their devotion to the one true God.

In the second portion of chapter 20, we see that Jonathan had held out all hope that his father was not intent on killing David. But when the truth was exposed, Jonathan had to make a decision. He did not side with the wickedness his father had turned, He sided with the will of God and honored his covenant to David.

When he meets with David, they both grieved together. And Jonathan proclaimed the will of God for David to be king. Right here, Jonathan lays down what should have been his earthly right as heir to the throne, and declares David’s Kingship.

Can you imagine the emotions, and grief and realization both men had to come to in that field that day? I can’t help but believe that the presence of God was in the midst of them.

And then Jonathan asks David to covenant with him on behalf of his future heirs. Neither man could have known what would happen in the next few months, years, or decades. But both men were committed first to the will of God and then to each other.

In this field a beautiful exchange took place. Jonathan laid down his earthly crown, and David took up his spiritual crown.

Maybe you have an earthly crown that you think you deserve. And maybe you really do deserve it. And maybe you need to make a choice like Jonathan did. Is an earthly crown, achievement, victory, justice a desire within you-is that trumping the will of God?

Maybe it’s time to lay that down and surrender to Jesus. And allow Him to show you the spiritual, royal robes, his very righteousness to crown you with humility, and love, and fruits of the spirit, and growth in Him…

May our hearts be ever so tender to the will of God.