SAINT FABIAN, POPE AND MARTYR (OPTIONAL MEMORIAL)

Jonathan then spoke well of David. 

What a friend David had in Jonathan!

King Saul, Jonathan’s father, was angry and resentful enough to want to kill David. Why? Because women in Saul’s kingdom were singing David’s praises for having slain Goliath. They were singing Saul’s praises too, but were crediting David with greater deeds in Israel’s victory over the Philistines. David wasn’t boasting or inciting these praises, but the situation might have gone very badly for him had not his friend Jonathan interceded and spoken up on his behalf.

You have just such a friend too. His name is Jesus, who “indeed intercedes” for you in heaven (Romans 8:34). He “lives forever to make intercession” for you (Hebrews 7:25). He never takes a day off. He never tires of speaking up for you. He never throws up his hands and says you’ll never change. He never is too busy to appeal to the Father’s unfailing love for you. He always speaks well of you to his Father, just as Jonathan spoke well of David to his father, Saul.

Remember that when your thoughts condemn you. Jesus is interceding for you. When all you can recall is the laundry list of your sins and failures, he asks the Father to shower mercy upon you. In the middle of the night, when you are plagued by worries that you haven’t done enough, haven’t done it well enough, or haven’t done what God wants you to do, Jesus is at the throne of God, appealing for an outpouring of peace and grace on your life. What a friend you have in Jesus!

Think about it. On your worst day, Jesus is at the throne of God speaking up for you. “This is our friend,” he might be saying. “This one was washed in the waters of Baptism and made holy through my own perfect obedience.” On your best day, he is there still, rejoicing with the Father, pointing out your faithfulness, your obedience, or your love for others. Most of us, on most days, are somewhere in between those extremes. But Jesus does not swing between interceding and not. He is always merciful, always faithful. And he is always interceding for you.

“Jesus, thank you for your constant intercession for me. Lord, I trust in you!”

Psalm 56:2-3, 9-13
Mark 3:7-12
1 Samuel 18:6-9; 19:1-7