Love's Strengthening Quality

from verse 15.

Read from verse 15 down as far as verse 18.

David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life.

David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.

And Jonathan Saul's son rose and went to David at Horesh

and strengthened his hand in God.

And he said to him,

Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you.

You shall be king over Israel and I shall be next to you.

Saul my father also knows this.

And the two of them made a covenant before the Lord.

David remained at Horesh and Jonathan went home.

That wonderful relationship between David and Jonathan

is mentioned a number of times in the chapters

where we find information about them and about that relationship.

If you didn't know what happened after the death of Goliath,

after David had killed Goliath,

you might be tempted to think that surely David was given a great promotion by Saul.

Surely he would have had him as his right-hand man.

Surely there would be nobody else in the nation that Saul would prefer ahead of David.

Of course, you know that that's not what happened.

We might think that the prospects for David were bright

after he actually led this campaign against the Philistines,

killing their champion Goliath in battle.

Unfortunately, David was hounded by Saul and came to be persecuted by Saul for many years.

Indeed, all the way through to Saul's own death,

David was actually hounded by Saul from place to place.

He didn't have an easier life of it after he had shown his prowess in killing Goliath.

It was actually the other way about.

But you know from, not only from this, but from many of the Psalms,

that for David, trial was really something which shaped his life positively.

Not that in every situation of triumph, David was as he should have been,

but by and large, trial, suffering, difficulty, persecution for David,

they were instances, they were events, they were circumstances in which he sought the Lord,

in which he knew that his own strength would not be sufficient for him.

They shaped David's life greatly.

But while he lived, Jonathan was very much a part of David's development.

And what you read here, and in the other passages,

we'll mention a few verses related to this tonight,

you'll find that many times David came to experience

how Jonathan strengthened him and encouraged him as he went about his business.

Like you find it here, for example,

he went out to where David was at Horesh,

and he strengthened his hand in God.

That's a wonderful expression that carries through into our own lives as Christians,

into our own relationships with each other,

into what we need to be as individuals,

but also as a congregation or as a group of people in Christ,

strengthening his hand in God.

Saul's persecution of David was something that actually arose

out of envy or jealousy, to use another word.

Back to chapter 18, we were at, you find there in verses 8 and 9 especially,

you find a description there of how things came about.

As they were coming home, David returned from striking down the Philistine.

Women came out of the city singing and dancing,

and we sang through, we read through what they sang there as songs of joy,

celebrating the victory of David.

But the words they used were interesting.

They said, Saul has struck down his thousands,

and David is ten thousands.

In other words, they were singing about, as they saw it,

how David had outdone Saul by ten to one.

And really, that's when Saul was determined from that time forth.

Saul was very angry.

This saying displeased him.

And you can see from the way it's worded there,

they have ascribed to David ten thousands.

To me, they have ascribed thousands.

You can tell that there's jealousy eating away at his heart.

You can tell that's envy that's really moving him

in his view of David as it now is.

And then when you go forward again to verse 12,

Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him,

but had departed from Saul.

In other words, Saul actually knew that David had things which he did not,

that he had abilities which he did not,

but above all, that he had the Lord in his life in a way that Saul did not.

It all remains a mystery in terms of his faith,

his relationship to God.

Different opinions of that have been presented to us over the years.

Different commentators say he was never really a good man.

Others say he was, but he went astray.

In respect of that, it's obviously the case that Saul was motivated by jealousy

and envy against David.

And jealousy and envy is something that caused him,

instead of focusing on his leadership of the nation.

He focused instead on getting rid of David.

David had to be killed.

He had to get rid of David.

Otherwise, he was going to take over the kingdom

because of his popularity with all the people.

And of course, envy,

as that's developed in the Bible,

is such a powerful, powerful, destructive force.

Whether it's envy or jealousy,

whatever word we use,

both in the Old and in the New Testament,

you find that envy is a powerful, destructive force in anybody's life.

Jesus, for example, spoke of envy as something.

In Mark chapter 7, verse 22,

Mark 7:22

he mentioned things which didn't defile a person.

To eat with unwashed hands,

he said that's not what defiles a person.

Defilement comes from within,

from within the heart.

And he mentioned a number of things that come out from the heart.

Murders, adulteries,

envy was amongst them.

These things come from within a person,

from within the heart.

These are the things, he said,

which defile a person.

1 Corinthians 13,

wonderful chapter about love,

and we're going to focus on the love

between David and Jonathan tonight for a wee while.

But that great chapter on love

has amongst all the descriptions it gives of love,

that love does not envy.

Love does not have a jealousy

against those that are loved.

In fact, it's a contradiction to say,

I love you, but I'm actually very jealous of you.

Because love does not envy.

And then when you find 1 Peter, for example,

just to take one other example,

1 Peter chapter 2,

1 Peter 2 · chapter mention

which follows on, of course,

from what he had said previously

about salvation and so on.

As you come to chapter 2 of 1 Peter,

well, you'll find Peter saying,

therefore, putting aside or putting off

enmity amongst other things,

all malice and all deceit

and hypocrisy and envy and slander

like newborn infants long

for the pure spiritual milk.

In other words, he's saying,

envy is part of the bad clothing,

part of the dirty clothing

that you put off metaphorically,

of course, spiritually.

And instead of that,

you put on those things

which are the opposites to envy and jealousy,

love being preeminent

preeminent amongst the other qualities

of a Christian life.

So envy lies behind Saul's attitude to David.

And it's in that context

that it's important for us

to actually see Jonathan's relationship to David.

Jonathan, of course,

is the heir to the throne.

He is Saul's son.

And Saul is looking at

handing the kingdom over to Jonathan

whenever that time will come,

whether it's through Saul's death or otherwise,

but that's what he has in view.

But this is a wonderful emphasis

in the relationship between David and Jonathan,

that despite the fact that he's the king's son,

he has David as a very special person in his heart.

He loves David as his own soul.

Their soul was knit together,

chapter 18 puts it,

and that really means

being tied so closely together

in the bonds of love.

And it's often the case, isn't it,

that you find in Scripture,

you find those who are perhaps like David

or like Paul or like Peter

on the front line of the church's activity

on the preaching of the gospel

or whatever mission it may be about,

you very often and indeed

almost always find that those

who are prominent in that way

have behind them

some sometimes unnamed saints of God,

but certainly those saints

that stay in the background pretty much.

And all the way through Paul's letters,

for example,

you'll find him talking about people

who were very much his supporters,

but didn't write any epistles,

weren't really in the forefront,

if you like,

of the church's mission or activity,

at least not in a prominent sense,

where he mentions likes of Aquila,

Priscilla, Clement, Tychicus, and others.

That's how it always is in the church.

Just because we're not prominent,

just because we're not given a place

that's obvious to many people,

doesn't mean that we're not serving the Lord

in a very, very important way

to actually support his cause

whatever way he gives us to do that.

So Jonathan's relationship with David

was rooted in these bonds of love.

What kind of love was it?

Well, if we take a few verses

from these chapters,

we can see four things about that love

that tells us what kind of love it was,

what kind of quality of love,

especially,

was between David and Jonathan.

It was, first of all,

a godly love.

Back to chapter 18,

and the first verse there says,

as soon as he had finished speaking to Saul,

the soul of Jonathan

was knit to the soul of David,

and Jonathan loved him

as his own soul.

It was a very genuine,

a very godly love.

And that's important,

especially in the days

in which we live.

Because as you very well know,

a friendship of this kind

between two men

might be looked at very suspiciously.

And in fact,

you'll find some people

of the view

that this was actually

a same-sex attraction.

I know that sounds distasteful to us,

but some actually take

that view of this relationship,

of these descriptions

that you find

of the love,

the relationship

between David and Jonathan.

But this was

a godly love.

There's nothing distasteful

about it.

There's nothing about it

that should raise

any suspicions

that it was in some way

or other sinful

or unwholesome.

If you go to 2 Samuel

and chapter 1,

you can see there

Paul's,

Saul's,

sorry,

it's Jonathan's

reference to it,

David's reference

rather to Jonathan

in 2 Samuel chapter 1

2 Samuel 1 · chapter mention

and verse 26.

This is David's lament

following the death

of Saul

and Jonathan

in battle.

And this is how

he actually finishes

that lament

where he says that

verse 26,

I am distressed

for you,

my brother Jonathan.

Very pleasant

have you been to me.

Your love to me

was extraordinary,

surpassing the love

of women.

And as I said,

that does not describe

something unwholesome,

something sinful,

something that would

in modern parlance

be regarded,

as we said,

as some sort of

unhealthy attraction.

Your love for me

surpasses the love

of women

because there was

such a special

bond between them.

Not even the love

between a man

and a woman

could actually come near

to the quality

of the love

between David

and Jonathan

for its faithfulness,

for its sheer brilliance

in terms of being

genuine

and godly

and unselfish.

And what that really

says in that

version

in 2 Samuel

2 Samuel 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1,

surpassing the love

of women,

what David is really

getting at

is the

unselfish love

of Jonathan

for him.

Jonathan

was the heir

to the throne.

He had everything

going for him.

He was the son

of Saul.

He would be the next

to take over the throne

ordinarily

and yet

selflessly

and in his love

for David

he was prepared

even to put that aside.

It surpasses

he says

the love of women

in its unselfishness

as he says.

It doesn't mean that

the love of women

is a selfish love

of course

not saying that either

but he's actually saying

this is something

really quite unique

and quite special

and we must never

distort that

into something

that seems

unseemly

or distasteful.

It is

holy

and pure

and God

honoring

in every way

in which it's spoken

about

when you take

the words

as they are

at face value

and to read

something else

into them

is not only

just to dishonor

the love

that existed

between them

but it's

to dishonor

God

and dishonor

the word

of God

that describes

the quality

of this

godly love

between them.

We read

that it was

knit

they were knit

together

in chapter 18

their souls

were knit

together

bound

together

in such a way

just as you bind

threads or something

together

so the two souls

of these two men

were bound

together

in love.

It was a godly love.

Secondly

it was a giving love

generous love

a giving love

and really

that of course

is of the essence

of love

isn't it?

you can't

really

think of love

other than

it is a giving

thing

it's a love

which gives out

it's a thing

which actually

doesn't act

selfishly

such as you find

that's where you find

these descriptions

in 1 Corinthians

13

does not seek

its own

love

gives

and love

is prepared

to give

abundantly

and in the case

of David

and Jonathan

that was the case

as well

if you go back

again to chapter

18

and look at

verse 4

here is Jonathan

saying

he stripped himself

of the robe

that was on him

and he gave it

to David

and his armour

even his sword

and his bow

and his belt

and that's

symbolic

that shows you

the mind of Jonathan

that shows you

the quality

of his love

for David

because what David

what he told David

was that

as he made a covenant

with him there

and then you go on

to chapter 23

and verses 17

to 18

you'll find

Jonathan

there

absolutely convinced

that

David is going

to be the next

king

of Israel

and he went out

and strengthened

his hand

in the Lord

he said to him

do not fear

for the hand

of Saul

my father

shall not find you

you shall be

king over Israel

and I shall

be next to you

here's the heir

to the throne

giving not just

his cloak

and his robe

to David

symbolically

as if to say

well I know

that you're going

to be king

so this really

properly belongs

to you

he's actually

saying here

I know

I know

that you will

be the next

king of Israel

and that I

will be next

to you

well it didn't

turn out that

way sadly

but that's what

Jonathan

was committed

to

you shall be

king

and I

shall be

next to you

Saul my

father also

knows this

Jonathan knew

the workings

of his father's

mind

he knew

the jealousy

the evil

intent

of his father's

heart

and he was

taking that

into account

as well

as he went

here to

strengthen

the hand

of David

one of the

ways he

strengthens

the hand

of David

is to

assure him

I know

how things

are going

to be

I know

what the

Lord's

will

is

and therefore

I'm committed

to that

and I'm

committed to

you in

that

he wants

the best

for David

and that of

course is a

great challenge

to ourselves

in our

relationships

with each

other

the relationships

that we have

in our human

lives whether

it's in our

homes and

our marriages

or in

congregational

terms of

love between

each other

as Christians

in Christ

the challenges

that we

give ourselves

to each

other

that we

make such

time for

each other

as shows

that our

regard for

others comes

even ahead

if you like

of the regard

for ourselves

for our

own well-being

and for our

own comfort

and of course

that's very

difficult

that's very

challenging

but then you

go to the

best example

of all

of that

is Jesus

himself

the apex

of a

giving love

of a

generous love

of a love

that puts

others ahead

of himself

is in

Jesus

himself

what do

you read

in John

15 there

where Jesus

is speaking

of himself

he said

greater love

has no man

than this

that a man

lay down

his life

for his

friends

and you

are my

friends

you do

whatever I

command you

as you see

Jesus

hanging on

the cross

you can just

see these

words of

John 15

almost as if

they were

written above

the cross

greater love

has no man

than this

that a man

lay down

his life

for his

friends

the greatest

of all

gifts is the

giving of

himself

he gave

himself to

the death

he died

why did he

give himself

to the death

he died

well not just

so that you

and I

wouldn't have

to die

that death

but because

his love

is of such

a caliber

and such

a quality

as shows

in its

essence

that it's

generous

to that

extent

that it's

giving to

that extent

that he

gives

himself

and so

it was

for Jonathan's

love for

David as

well and

the love

between

them

reciprocated

on David's

part no

doubt but

the emphasis

here is on

Jonathan

especially

in chapter

23 here

strengthening

his hand

in the

Lord by

telling him

this is how

I see it

this is how

I know

things will

be and

should be

and therefore

what a

strength what

an encouragement

that was

undoubtedly

to David

so it's

it's a

godly

love

it's a

love which

honors God

love which

is pure

a love which

regards God

himself very

carefully

it's a love

which is a

giving love

even to the

extent of

giving himself

giving up

the career

that he had

ordinarily

and would be

his in the

ordinary

course of

things

that was

Jonathan

saying no

I know

that that's

not how

it's going

to be

so I'm

giving over

the throne

to you

this is

going to

be yours

rightly

yours

this is

God's

will

a godly

love and

a giving

love but

thirdly

we find

that this

love is

a guarding

love as

well

it's a

love which

looks after

things in a

proper way

and again

it's something

that is shown

in the way

that Jonathan

defended

David

guarded

David's

reputation

and was

concerned that

David would

not be

misrepresented

that he

would not

actually be

spoken of

even by

his father

in a way

that wasn't

true to

David's

character

because again

you can go

back to

chapter 19

this time

verses 4

and 5

and when

you look at

these verses

again this is

Saul and

Jonathan

speaking together

David isn't

present at

that time

but it does

remind us

there in

verse 1

chapter 19

Jonathan

David's

son

delighted

much

in

David

and

Jonathan

told

David

Saul

my

father

seeks

to

kill

you

therefore

be on

your guard

in the

morning

stay in

a secret

place

and hide

yourself

and I

will go

out and

stand beside

my father

in the field

where you

are and I

will speak

to my

father

about you

and if I

learn anything

I will

tell you

and Jonathan

spoke well

of David

to Saul

and said

to him

let not

the king

sin against

the seven

David

because he

has not

sinned

against

you

and because

his deeds

have brought

good to

you

for he

took his

life in

his hand

and he

struck down

the Philistine

and the

Lord worked

a great

salvation

for all

Israel

you saw

it

and rejoiced

why then

will you

sin

against

innocent

blood

by killing

David

without

cause

and Saul

listened

to the

voice of

Jonathan

and Saul

swore

as the

Lord

lives

he shall

not be

put to

death

and Jonathan

called

David

and Jonathan

reported to

him

all these

things

well unfortunately

Saul was

not very

steadfast

in mind

he could

just flip

flip just

like that

which is

exactly

what happened

because when

you go

onwards in

chapter

in chapter

23 again

verses 17

to 18

you'll find

that that's

exactly what

happened

do not

do not

fear the

hand

of

Saul

my

father

shall

not

find

you

he says

and you

shall

be

king

over

over

Israel

and even

though

David

wasn't

present

Saul

Jonathan

was

determined

to support

him

to speak

well of

him before

his father

even knowing

that his

father

at that

point

had actually

committed

to killing

David

and there

is love

and there

is love

as it is

said for

us as well

it's not

about our

own

reputation

it's not

about whether

people will

or won't

speak well

of us

it's not

about making

friends just

for the sake

of it

and thereby

very often

not really

being faithful

to the

truth

and not

as Jonathan

is determined

whatever his

father will

think of it

whatever his

father will

do about it

he is going

to defend

David

he's going

to defend

his reputation

he's going

to show

that his

love for

David is

not going

to be

deflected

by even

any thoughts

his father

might have

of putting

David to

death

or even

putting

Jonathan

to death

which of

course he

did at

one time

try to

do by

throwing his

spear at

Jonathan

as well

and so

that's

of course

for us

as well

such an

important

factor

and it's

important

especially

in terms

of our

relationship

with the

Lord

because just

as Jonathan

came to

defend David

in the

presence

of his

father

a hostile

father

so you

and I

have to

defend

the Lord

not that

he needs

us to

defend him

strictly

speaking

but you

do speak

up for

him

you do

speak up

for his

cause

you do

speak up

for the

values of

the gospel

for the

principles

of the

gospel

against the

hostility of

the world

in which we

live

that's out

to kill

the gospel

that's out

to put

to death

anything

representing

Jesus

or resembling

Jesus

what do

you do

you don't

just go

and hide

yourself

you don't

go and say

well I'll

just leave

that to

someone else

I'll just

go into

the background

let this

pass

no you

say my

Lord's

reputation

is tied

up with

this

whatever

movement

it is

that's

against

the gospel

whatever

movement

it is

that requires

support

against

atheism

or against

whatever

kind of

ideology

is trying

to destroy

the Bible

and the

character

of a

Christian

life

you and

I say

well that

involves

me

and it

involves

me

in whatever

way is

open to

me

legitimately

and lawfully

to do

so

to actually

come

to show

that my

commitment

is to

the Lord

to his

truth

to the

quality

of life

that he

requires

of me

and of

God's

people

and so

if it

means that

God's

people are

under threat

then I

have to

come

to their

defense

I have

to come

to their

support

or whatever

way we

do that

you can

do that

different ways

you know

yourselves

it's not

just a matter

such as it

was in the

days of

Samuel or

days of

the apostles

you do

that by

engaging

with those

who are

in authority

you do

that by

representing

the cause

of Christ

whether it's

by writing

letters or

contacting

your MSP

whatever else

it might be

you get in

touch with

those in

authority

you say

this is

not on

this is

not

this is

not

conducive

to a

proper

truthful

righteous

society

but it's

the Lord's

reputation

primarily

that's at

stake

and when

you find

the Lord's

name and

the Lord's

reputation

trampled

upon you

can't sit

easy or

stand back

and just

let that

happen

just as it

was for

Jonathan

he wasn't

prepared

even though

Saul the

king was

his father

he wasn't

prepared to

stand there

silently

and say

well I

better not

get too

involved with

this otherwise

I'll lose

my life

if I speak

up for

David Snow

in the

presence of

my father

who's out

to kill

him

what's that

going to

do to

me

so he

said no

well whatever

it's going

to do to

me

David is

the friend

that I

love deeply

and I

love him

in the

Lord

and I

love him

as the

Lord's

choice

of the

next

king

and I

can't

stand by

and not

speak up

for him

and not

put in a

word in

his favour

whatever it's

going to

mean for

myself

that's really

what you

get coming

across there

in the way

that Jonathan

supported and

stood for

David and

came here in

chapter 23

to go out

to him

to strengthen

him and

strengthen his

hand in

the Lord

so love

that love

that Christian

love is a

godly love

it's a

giving love

it's a

guarding

love

but just

to try and

keep the

G at the

beginning of

the words

the fourth

point is

it's a

galvanizing

love

by galvanizing

I mean the

way we often

use the word

galvanized

you galvanize

something

something

or someone

galvanizes

you

spurs you

into action

that's what I

mean by a

galvanizing

love

it's a love

which especially

encourages

it's a

special aspect

of love

that it's

an encouraging

thing you

could take

from this

passage in

23

in 1st

Samuel 23

that it's

it's love's

strengthening

quality that's

really brought

before us

when you find

this man

Jonathan and

his love

for David

and he went

out to him

and strengthened

his hand

in God

love

strengthens

sharing love

strengthens

relationship

strengthens

individuals

nothing

strengthens

a marriage

like

genuine

committed

love

nothing

strengthens

relationships

in a

congregation

like

genuine

committed

godly

giving

guarding

love

a love

which

galvanizes

you into

encouragement

into action

this is really

as we say

what you find

in chapter

23 here

but when you

go to

23 verses

16 and

17

that's exactly

what you find

here in the

text before us

he went

in person

to David

we're very

familiar of

course

in our day

and it's

it's a great

advantage that

we have

we we're very

familiar with

texting

with emails

with different

ways of

communication

and that's a

superb facility

that god in his

kindness has made

available to us

and it's so

much easier

and sometimes

it's really the

best thing to

do for for

for speed's sake

certainly to use

that just so you

get your message

to the person

as quickly as

possible

we thank god for

all of these

facilities

because they've

changed our lives

for the good in

so many ways

having said that

there is no

substitute for

personal in

person

relationships

there is no

substitute for

simply coming

alongside a

person even

if you're just

sitting down and

sharing their

experience sharing

with them and

their support and

their sorrow or

in their happiness

whatever it might

be but the fact

that it is a

person-to-person

exchange

physically is

something that

cannot actually be

replaced by any

electronic means

and this is

really david and

and so and

jonathan here if

you like a

really an

example of what

it is to come

he made a special

effort you see

jonathan he he

went out to him

he was in the

wilderness he was

under danger from

saul but he rose

and went to

david at horesh

and strengthened

his hand in

god so often

you find people

that have been

praying that day

somebody would

come and visit

them feeling

the loneliness

difficulties the

challenge of

living on their

own or not being

able to leave

the house and

just longing that

someone would come

in and talk with

them and the

lord put it into

the heart of

somebody that day

to to go and

visit that person

whether it's

minister or what

doesn't have to

be but another

christian or

whatever and

very often you

go into that

home and the

first thing the

person will say

to you well i

was really praying

that somebody would

come and visit me

see that's the

lord stirring up

the hearts of

his people so

that the love

between them this

galvanizing love

moves you to

take action and

very often when

you take action

sometimes not

necessarily knowing

exactly what's

going to be

involved but then

you get the great

benefit of all of

this coming

together and

a sharing in

love of things

which really are

mutually encouraging

to each person

and that is a

part of individual

and congregational

life especially

isn't it you

remember the

new testament

itself you find

the likes of

ephesians for

example

ephesians 6

Ephesians 6:22

verse 22

i'll mention a

few verses in

closing ephesians

6 and verse 22

and where you

find uh paul

saying i have

sent him talking

here about

tychicus the

beloved brother

and faithful

minister in the

lord he will

tell you

everything

i have sent

him to you

for this very

purpose that

you may know

how we are

and that he

may encourage

your hearts

see david

paul in this

instance

and like

jonathan with

david he

wasn't prepared

just to send

him a letter

or to send

him a message

by uh

by way of

an impersonal

message it

was just

sending this

man tychicus

when paul

himself couldn't

do it

he sent this

man in his

place as his

representative

and you find

the same in

colossians 2

Colossians 2:2

verse 2 the

same emphasis

he's sending

tychicus so

that he will

encourage your

hearts

first thessalonians

um again an

instance with

you remember the

passage paul

dealing with the

resurrection

and with uh

participation in

the coming of

the lord on the

part of god's

people whether

they have died

or whether they've

been raised

similar to

first corinthians

15 this is

what he says

in from

verses 13

to to 17

he gives out

this wonderful

teaching about

and then he

concludes this

therefore you

know so like

that is to

first corinthians

15 ending

therefore therefore

encourage one

another with

these words

encourage one

another with

these words

in the same

in the same

letter you

find at

chapter 5

and verse

11 therefore

encourage one

another and

build one

another up

just as you

are doing

that really

gives you an

insight into

the the

meaning of

encouragement

because to

encourage is

to embolden or

to give

strength to

people when

you encourage

someone what

you're actually

doing is

seeking to

give them

strength to

help them to

to strengthen

up and

especially in

difficult

circumstances we

need strengthening

up primarily from

god of course

but in the

relationships

christians have

to each

other it's

so important

that we're like

what paul is

saying here to

the thessalonians

that we are

encouraging one

another and

building one

another up

because it

comes to the

same thing

if we're

encouraging each

other this is

what's happening

we're building

each other up

if we're building

each other up

then it's really

an encouragement

that we're

engaged in a

ministry of

encouragement

it's not a

short-term

emotional fix

if you like

just for

somebody in a

certain situation

and then that's

an end of it

no encouragement

is something

that's shared

continuously between

the lord's people

they encourage

each other in

the lord or in

the words of

first samuel

they strengthen

each other's

hands in the

lord and we

need that we

all need that

we all need

that ongoing

activity of

encouraging each

other in a

love that's a

godly love and

a giving love

and a guarding

love and a

galvanizing love

so that for the

lord we may be

known as

encouragers

building one

another up in

love may he

bless these

thoughts to us

let's pray

we give thanks

lord our god

for the way in

which your word

teaches us so

much in regard to

our relationships

one to another

as well as our

relationships and

responsibility to

you as our god

and we thank you

tonight lord for