I just cannot tell you how important it is for us to be in a covenanted relationship. Of course I refer to our union with the Holy Trinity: with our Father God, with our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the ever-present and all-powerful Holy Spirit—which is a covenanted relationship if there ever was such a thing.

But I want to move beyond that covenantal union to include other relationships in this life. These “blood-brother” friendships are crucial to our understanding of what the Scriptures speak to as covenant. I am blessed to have several of these in my life. They are not limited by time or distance, and stand firm in the face of all sorts of conditions which are confronted in life. PRAISE GOD FOR COVENANT!

This relationship is highlighted in 1 Samuel 20.42: Jonathan said to David, ‘Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.’ This union I understand; I rejoice in them in my life; I encourage everyone to develop them; and to abide.

One of the aspects of the covenantal relationship is how often we are called to walk the edge of testing. Jonathan was the son of David’s sworn enemy Saul—and when push-came-to-shove they stood firm in their unity. Samuel notes: Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town. Even in death they kept the covenant they had made with each other. Jesus said that he would never leave us or forsake us—EVER! WE ARE COVENANTED WITH JESUS AS LORD!