David, a Man After God’s HeartНамуна

Extraordinary generosity

“And David said to him, ‘Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan’” (2 Samuel 9:7)

David had promised his friend Jonathan to show kindness to him and his children. Now that David was in a position of power, the time had come to fulfill this promise. Jonathan was dead, but one of his sons was still alive. Instead of murdering the whole family of the previous king, as was usual in those days, David showed Jonathan’s son “the kindness of God”. He restored to him all the land of his grandfather Saul and invited him to always eat at the king’s table, “like one of the king’s sons.”

David’s generosity was extraordinary. It was probably prompted by his love for his best friend Jonathan. Centuries later, the ultimate Son of David, Jesus, showed the amazing generosity of God towards sinners by dying in their place and restoring them as “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17). In Revelation 3:20-21, Jesus says He wants to eat with anyone who welcomes Him in, and that those who remain faithful to Him will be granted to sit with Him on His throne. In other words, He treats believers as sons of the Most High! That is pure grace, not based on any merit of these sinners but on God’s love alone.

Jonathan’s son humbly received David’s generosity. Do you embrace God’s offer of grace?