The Power of Forgiveness

414 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 1:21-23, “O mountains of Gilboa, Let there be no dew nor rain upon you, Nor fields of offerings. For the shield of the mighty is cast away there! The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil. 22 From the blood of the slain, From the fat of the mighty, The bow of Jonathan did not turn back, And the sword of Saul did not return empty. 23 "Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives, And in their death they were not divided; They were swifter than eagles, They were stronger than lions. (2 Sam 1:21-23) David's lamentation continues with a curse on the battlefield in which Jonathan and Saul were slain. The shield of the king no longer shined up, but trampled underfoot and buried in the dust and blood of the battle. But even in defeat, the arrows of Jonathan found their mark and the sword of Saul did it's own lethal damage upon the enemy. This was a great tribute from one mighty warrior to two others. But even as they were both furious warriors they had their softer side too and David brings it out beautifully. He says they were beloved and pleasant in their personal lives, and the word “beloved” here, is often used in Scripture to denote the close attachment between parents and children. In spite of the differences between the two due to Saul's mental instability, they kept their love and respect for each other and remained undivided until the end. When one considers the difficulties that are recorded in the Scriptures concerning their relationship, one has to wonder about the power of forgiveness. Someone in this relationship, had to have a forgiving spirit, and my guess is that it was Jonathan. Parents can do some terrible things to their children. Somehow, we as children, need to find the spirit of Jonathan and forgive. This forgiveness set Jonathan and Saul free to be “swifter than eagles and stronger than lions.” in the other battles that came their way. I wonder what that would look like in our own lives, if we would learn to forgive. Father, today, help me to remember the words of Eph 4:32, “forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.”