Building Bridges

Based on 1 Samuel 19-21, Luke 11:29-54

"Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres." Luke 11:47‭-‬48.

The generation of people Jesus was speaking to were building sepulchres to prophets who their family members killed. The people really lost the meaning behind the work of the prophets...they weren't appreciative of the work the prophets did, but they built the sepulchres out of habit...

The prophets were people who God used mightily to speak God's messages, and so they had to build solid bridges/relationships with God in order to keep that special connection. But, these people Jesus was speaking to were not interested in building their own relationships with God. They built sepulchres in a heartless way. They were the scribes, Pharisees & lawyers who loved their position & prestige more than giving their hearts to God or others...but Jesus' love was seen in all He did!

Jesus' manner of building meaningful bridges & relationships is similar to what David did! When the enemy was after David, he was able to rely on those who he had built bridges with to help him!

"But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself: And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father of thee; and what I see, that I will tell thee." 1 Samuel 19:2‭-‬3.

David & Jonathan, Saul's own son, became best friends! Jonathan could have taken the safe way out and sided with his father Saul against David, but the meaningful connection between the 2 friends motivated Jonathan to protect David!

"For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?" 1 Samuel 19:5.

Jonathan reminded his father that God was using David for great things, and it's in building a meaningful bridge & connection with God that brought Israel to victory through David! Is there not a Cause!? Because of Saul's anger and detachment from God, and all his burned bridges, much of his family sided with David instead of Saul. Even Michal, Saul's daughter & David's wife, helped David!

"Saul also sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David's wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain. So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped." 1 Samuel 19:11‭-‬12.

As we can see, it's important to build bridges of loving connection with God & those around us. Later on in these chapters of 1 Samuel, we see David & Jonathan make an oath with God as the center witness between the two. When our friendships & relationships have God in the center, it will be the strongest bond & bridge yet!