2 Samuel 9:1
New Living Translation (NLT)
One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
For Meditation
Imagine the day Ziba broke the news of King David’s invitation to Mephibosheth in Lo Debar (2 Samuel 9:1-8). The city’s name signified a rebellious place with no leader or shepherd, without order or pasture, and barren—not a place for anybody to desire to live. Such was the spiritual condition of the city where the disabled son of Jonathan lived, cut off from the richness of the land his grandfather once ruled. I can see his surprise.
“Who, me?”
“Yes, you, Mephibosheth. King David has thrown a banquet and every prominent person in the nation has gathered in Jerusalem. They will not sit down to dine until you join them at his table. Hurry up; for we can’t keep his Majesty waiting,” Ziba said.
Over in the palace at Jerusalem, the king’s children, generals, and dignitaries waited for the dinner to start. Their appetites mounting as they waited for this person, without whom dinner would not begin. “Who is he?” General Joab asked Absalom.
The door swings open, and Ziba announces the entrance of Mephibosheth, the crippled son of Jonathan, the king’s deceased best friend.
“What! Is this cripple the reason for our long wait?” Joab angrily asked Absalom.
David said, “Mephibosheth!”
“At your service,” he replied.
“Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan … and you will always eat at my table” (2 Samuel 9:6-7).
The beauty of grace; how marvelous!
Mephibosheth bowed and said, “What is your servant that you should notice a dead dog like me?”
Mephibosheth had fallen as a baby and become crippled in both feet and rendered undeserving to sit at the king’s table. He considered himself a dead dog. Still, David showed him royal kindness because of his father, Jonathan!
When we read Ephesians 2:8-9, let’s picture this scene and see ourselves in Mephibosheth—crippled in both feet, a wasted dead dog—but God noticed us and called us to Himself because of Christ Jesus. It is all grace! As Paul wrote to Titus:
At one time, we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:3-6)?
As recipients of this grace, can we show kindness to one another for the sake of Jesus? Can we share this love with a dying world because of what Christ has done for us?
Only our actions motivated by love for Christ will stand before Him in judgment.
Shalom
Through the Eyes of the Spirit 