Recent Reads {The Prince}

The Prince by Francine Rivers - I think this is my favorite in this series so far! I still have two of them to read, so I'll have to reassess once I've done that.  Have you ever had a picture in your head of how something happened in the Bible, and you know that it's unrealistic and couldn't have been that way but never really stop to try and readjust that mental image?  I have to admit, my picture of the rule of King Saul fits that pattern.  I read how Saul was chosen to be king of Israel and about his reluctance at the beginning, about all the events surrounding his reign and how David eventually came to the throne, and the mental picture I've had since I was quite young is pretty unrealistic.  I somehow imagined that after Saul was anointed king he moved into the palace and started wearing the crown to family dinners or something crazy like that. And I have never stopped to consider Saul's family, particularly his children, during that time, and wonder how old Jonathan was when his father became king or the family's reaction to any of the events.  Francine Rivers presents a far more realistic imagining of the life of Jonathan, adding personality and motives and emotions to a young man who has become the model of loyal friendship.   In reading this book, I thought about Saul's kingship - his successes and his failures - in terms of how it looked to his son and heir; and I appreciated the dilemma that Jonathan must often have found himself in - loving and honoring his father, yet protecting and being loyal to his friend.  It seems like Jonathan doesn't get much credit for his courage, righteousness, and faithfulness, but from what we know from the Biblical account, he must have been an outstanding man of noble character.  He might have made a very good king too, if his father had made better choices.  But Saul's sin and stubbornness cost much more than just the throne for Saul himself, his family and especially his son Jonathan paid a price as well.