Saying goodbye

As soon as the lad had gone, David arose from a place toward the south, fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down three times. And they kissed one another; and they wept together, but David more so. Then Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, 'May the LORD be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants, forever.' " So he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city. – 1 Samuel 20.41-42

Here is an account of a sad farewell between two dear friends. Things like this make the Bible come alive because it makes things so real. These are things that we can all understand.

Even with all the farewells I have had to say in my life I still don’t like them. When we find close friends and learn to love them and treasure their presence it is really hard to say goodbye.

David and Jonathan knew that David could not stay. Jonathan's dad, King Saul, hated David and had tried to kill him. He even tired to kill his son for trying to help David. They worked out a scenario to let David know not to come back to the palace and then they met to say goodbye.

What a sad scene. They shared a tearful embrace and David wept even more than Jonathan.

But separations happen. How many sad farewells have I said at Dublin airport? They don’t get any easier with experience.

There is only one place to find comfort when we have to part – ‘the Lord be between you and me.’ When we say goodbye we can find comfort in the fact that we still have communion in Christ. Though the miles may separate us physically we still have that unbreakable union in Christ. We can trust Him to care for each other. Praise God for that confidence.