Week of Monday May 25- May 31
Lock Step — Man as Battle Buddy
And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord take vengeance on David's enemies.” And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul… “And as for the matter of which you and I have spoken, behold, the Lord is between you and me forever.” - 1 Samuel 20:16-17, 23.
My Battle Buddy, Dr. Stu Weber, is a decorated Green Beret and former pastor. He writes:
[S]omething inside us longs for someone… to lock step with. Another man with a heart like our own. That’s what David was saying about Prince Jonathan. Every warrior needs a fellow soldier. Every fighter pilot needs a wingman… It was my Ranger Buddy, Lou Francis, who clung to my arm, and I to his, through sixty-three days of unbelievable physical and mental trauma. Together we made it through the toughest experience either of us had ever faced up to that point in our lives.”
Friendship forged in faith and adversity helps explain the deep bond between David and Jonathan.
By the time we arrive in 1 Samuel 20, David is literally running for his life. Saul’s jealousy has hardened into murderous intent. Every step David takes now carries danger. Yet in the middle of that darkness, God provides him with Jonathan—a faithful friend, trusted brother, and true battle buddy.
Jonathan’s loyalty to David is remarkable when you stop and think about it. Humanly speaking, David represented a threat to Jonathan’s future as the king’s son. The throne belonged to him by birthright. Yet Jonathan recognized that God’s hand was on David, and instead of competing with him, he chose to stand beside him.
Every man needs relationships like that. The reality is that many men today are isolated. They may have coworkers or people they casually spend time with, but very few have another man who truly knows them spiritually—someone who can ask the hard questions, speak truth without fear, and help steady them in the battle. Yet that isolation is dangerous. God never intended us to walk through life alone.
David was a mighty warrior, but even mighty warriors need support. There are battles that cannot be won in secrecy and isolation. Temptation grows in darkness. Discouragement deepens when a man carries burdens alone. Fear and compromise flourish when no one is close enough to challenge us or strengthen us.
Jonathan protected and encouraged David. He warned David when danger was near. He encouraged David when he was on the run. Scripture says Jonathan “strengthened his hand in God” (1 Sam. 23:16). Jonathan became one of God’s instruments for sustaining David during one of the most difficult seasons of his life. Jonathan understood that friendship is not just about standing together in moments of victory. It is about locking step together in hardship.
That is why this passage is so important for Christian men today. We are living in a culture that increasingly isolates men while simultaneously bombarding them with temptation, distraction, and spiritual compromise. The enemy would love nothing more than for men to remain disconnected, spiritually passive, and alone in the battle.
But faithful brotherhood is one of God’s gifts to help men endure hardship and finish well. So don’t settle for shallow relationships. Ask God for men who will strengthen your walk with Christ, challenge you toward holiness, and stand beside you when life gets difficult. And just as importantly, seek to become that kind of man for someone else.
Because every man is locking step with someone. The question is whether that relationship is pulling us toward Christ—or away from Him.
Lock Step — Man as Battle Buddy
And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord take vengeance on David's enemies.” And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul… “And as for the matter of which you and I have spoken, behold, the Lord is between you and me forever.” - 1 Samuel 20:16-17, 23.
My Battle Buddy, Dr. Stu Weber, is a decorated Green Beret and former pastor. He writes:
[S]omething inside us longs for someone… to lock step with. Another man with a heart like our own. That’s what David was saying about Prince Jonathan. Every warrior needs a fellow soldier. Every fighter pilot needs a wingman… It was my Ranger Buddy, Lou Francis, who clung to my arm, and I to his, through sixty-three days of unbelievable physical and mental trauma. Together we made it through the toughest experience either of us had ever faced up to that point in our lives.”
Friendship forged in faith and adversity helps explain the deep bond between David and Jonathan.
By the time we arrive in 1 Samuel 20, David is literally running for his life. Saul’s jealousy has hardened into murderous intent. Every step David takes now carries danger. Yet in the middle of that darkness, God provides him with Jonathan—a faithful friend, trusted brother, and true battle buddy.
Jonathan’s loyalty to David is remarkable when you stop and think about it. Humanly speaking, David represented a threat to Jonathan’s future as the king’s son. The throne belonged to him by birthright. Yet Jonathan recognized that God’s hand was on David, and instead of competing with him, he chose to stand beside him.
Every man needs relationships like that. The reality is that many men today are isolated. They may have coworkers or people they casually spend time with, but very few have another man who truly knows them spiritually—someone who can ask the hard questions, speak truth without fear, and help steady them in the battle. Yet that isolation is dangerous. God never intended us to walk through life alone.
David was a mighty warrior, but even mighty warriors need support. There are battles that cannot be won in secrecy and isolation. Temptation grows in darkness. Discouragement deepens when a man carries burdens alone. Fear and compromise flourish when no one is close enough to challenge us or strengthen us.
Jonathan protected and encouraged David. He warned David when danger was near. He encouraged David when he was on the run. Scripture says Jonathan “strengthened his hand in God” (1 Sam. 23:16). Jonathan became one of God’s instruments for sustaining David during one of the most difficult seasons of his life. Jonathan understood that friendship is not just about standing together in moments of victory. It is about locking step together in hardship.
That is why this passage is so important for Christian men today. We are living in a culture that increasingly isolates men while simultaneously bombarding them with temptation, distraction, and spiritual compromise. The enemy would love nothing more than for men to remain disconnected, spiritually passive, and alone in the battle.
But faithful brotherhood is one of God’s gifts to help men endure hardship and finish well. So don’t settle for shallow relationships. Ask God for men who will strengthen your walk with Christ, challenge you toward holiness, and stand beside you when life gets difficult. And just as importantly, seek to become that kind of man for someone else.
Because every man is locking step with someone. The question is whether that relationship is pulling us toward Christ—or away from Him.
- Ask yourself: Have I allowed pride or isolation to keep me from forming deep spiritual friendships with other men? Do you have a godly brother you call, pray with, and speak honestly with about life?
- On the other hand, are you actively strengthening another man in his walk with Christ?
- Pray and ask God to enlarge your heart for a fellow brother you could help “strengthen his hand in God.”