Closer Than A Brother

The story of Jonathan is a good one for us to contemplate. We know that Jesus is the one who sticks closer than a brother. For many of you with close brothers, this is an encouraging thought, for your brothers are close and will stand by you, even unto death. And you know that even if your friends or your family or your brother, were to forsake you, there is One, the Lord Jesus, that is even closer than Your brothers. He will not refuse to die on your behalf because He has already done so. He has not only died but He has risen again. He has faced death and won. This brother lives to make intercession for you now and always.

         Jonathan was a Christlike man because he was willing to take his life in his hands for the sake of his ‘brother’ David. Because he believed in God’s promises, he was able to lay aside his will, his fame, his power and his glory for the sake of another.

         So, we have our champion Jesus and we see in the story of Jonathan, and all the subsequent faithful saints and martyrs for the faith, that we are empowered by God’s Spirit to lay down our lives for others. Jesus is our first fruit, our first example of the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace and then we, ourselves, follow in that glory. We are not afraid of death because, in Jesus, we have already won the victory and so because of our elder brother, Jesus, we, too, can stick closer than a brother.