Good morning. There are stories in the bible that impact us all. Each of us have different stories that are close to our hearts for different reasons and at different times in our lives. The story we are going to look at and study today has jumped to the top of my list of favorites. This is a story about the heart of David and the heart of God. Happy Sabbath and welcome to the Kitchen Class.
Question of the day: What is a talent, gift, or ability God has given to you?
Today's story is found in 2 Samuel chapter 9.
READ: 2 Samuel 9: 1-13
David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth
9 One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 He summoned a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul’s servants. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked.
“Yes sir, I am,” Ziba replied.
3 The king then asked him, “Is anyone still alive from Saul’s family? If so, I want to show God’s kindness to them.”
Ziba replied, “Yes, one of Jonathan’s sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet.”
4 “Where is he?” the king asked.
“In Lo-debar,” Ziba told him, “at the home of Makir son of Ammiel.”
5 So David sent for him and brought him from Makir’s home. 6 His name was Mephibosheth[a]; he was Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson. When he came to David, he bowed low to the ground in deep respect. David said, “Greetings, Mephibosheth.”
Mephibosheth replied, “I am your servant.”
7 “Don’t be afraid!” David said. “I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king’s table!”
8 Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, “Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?”
9 Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family.10 You and your sons and servants are to farm the land for him to produce food for your master’s household.[b] But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will eat here at my table.” (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)
11 Ziba replied, “Yes, my lord the king; I am your servant, and I will do all that you have commanded.” And from that time on, Mephibosheth ate regularly at David’s table,[c] like one of the king’s own sons.
12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. From then on, all the members of Ziba’s household were Mephibosheth’s servants. 13 And Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, lived in Jerusalem and ate regularly at the king’s table.
What a story! I have been very vocal about not loving all the war stories. This is a refreshing change. Here we see the heart of David. In chapter 8 we saw his victories, all the wins that God blessed him with. We saw God's mighty blessing and strength poured out onto David. We studied the warrior. This week we see something very different. This week I imagine David sitting on his throne, with all the victories under his belt, with more wives and concubines than anyone needs, lots and lots of children, servants to serve him and wealth beyond measure. All a man could ever need and yet... He is thinking about his friend Jonathan! He misses him. He has everything but wishes he could do something for him. Wow.
As we have studied David many weeks we are challenged to be like David. Sometimes we have learned to better understand the heart of God, but studying the heart of David. Today is the later. This story is all about the heart of God. In this story we see hour our heavenly father loves us, seeks after us, redeems us, restores us and lavishes us.
With that in mind, who is Mephibosheth? What do we know about him. We first hear of him back in 2 Samuel 4:4 (Saul’s son Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth,[b] who was crippled as a child. He was five years old when the report came from Jezreel that Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle. When the child’s nurse heard the news, she picked him up and fled. But as she hurried away, she dropped him, and he became crippled.)
He was Jonathan's son. Saved by his nurse (servant) who as she ran to save him fell, crippling him instantly giving him a double portion of shame. He was now not only an heir to the fallen "kingdom" but also a cripple. This made him worthy of nothing but death. Most heirs to any fallen kingdom we killed, and cripples were the lowest and banished because they brought shame to their families. So from the age of five, he was a NOBODY. Saved only by the love of his nurse and former slaves.
When David asks Ziba we see that he is quick to say that Mephibosheth is a cripple. Ziba obviously assumed that his condition disqualified him from any "kindness" that David would want to give.
How many times are we that way too. Either thinking that the crippled condition of our fellow man disqualifies them from the kindness of our Lord or that our own crippled condition disqualifies us from the kindness of our Lord?
David, doesn't hesitate! Mephibosheth's condition is of no concern.
What comes next is powerful. Mephibosheth comes and bows before David. This cripple comes and in all his awkwardness somehow gets down and bows, with his head to the ground before David. He doesn't come whole he comes broken.
Our God first seeks after you! Second calls you to come to him just as you are, in all your brokenness. I am sure that day when Mephibosheth bowed before David it wasn't a smooth bow, it was clumsy, difficult, hard to watch. Can you imagine what the court thought. As they all watched this cripple try to get down and bow before David. Davids response was beautiful!
1. Mephibosheth! - He calls him by name! He calls him by name! Lynn Ortel at the women's retreat in Main kept talking about how God calls us by name and Satan calls us by our sin. David called him by name. Beth Moore in her book, "a Heart Like His" tells us that Mephibosheth means... "shame destroyer" or "image breaker." David didn't see or call him by his condition but the opposite. He calls him by his name, "shame destroyer."
2. David promises kindness! - Kindness is something that is so powerful! Kindness is who our heavenly father is! Kindness can be transformative. Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit!
3. David offers restoration! - He restores Mephibosheth's wealth and standing. Think about this, for a moment. Mephibosheth has been cared for by his former servants. He has become one of their kids, at best, but at worse just a pity case where they kept him from dying. He was no longer the grandson of the former king but just a cripple living with servants. Now David is restoring him back to his position. The servants will once again be his servants, the land will once again be his, the wealth will be his again. He restores him.
4. David has him sit at his table! - He is now not just restored to being the son of a fallen prince but a son of the King. He sits at the table of the King.
God is wanting to do the same for each of us. He has adopted us as His, sons and daughters of the King! He invites us to dine with Him and he restores us! He seeks after us, and calls us by name.
Mephibosheth's response. "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?"
Have you ever felt that way about your condition, when you here that God is offering you kindness, restoration and a seat at His table?
A dead dog. Now there is a visual of worthlessness. Not even a live dog. A dead of dog. Mephibosheth obviously was in a dark place.
I love that David, doesn't respond directly to Mephibosheth. He just sets things right. He just speaks to the servant and tells him how it will be. David set Mephibosheth's world right. He put things back as they were supposed to be.
Mephibosheth doesn't say anything else here, but obviously accepts the gift, the restoration, and the seat at the table.
In this story we see the crippled condition means nothing to the king. Your crippled condition means nothing to the King. He seeks after you and wants to restore you and then give you even more, a seat at His table. Are you willing, are you willing to get down on the floor with your face to the ground as crippled as you are? He doesn't need you to try to uncripple yourself! How well could you do that anyway?
Come to Him, He is calling you! He has sought you out! He longs to show you loving kindness and wants you to sit at His table.
As we close this I want to highlight one other point.
The Kings table.
When God restores us He doesn't stop at that. Coming to God means He wants to lavish on you so much more. It is restoration plus! Restoration plus gifts! Privileges! Benefits! Being a child of the King means all the benefits of royalty!
What does that look like for us?
When you accept Him he blesses you with gifts. Spiritual gifts. Sometimes in the process of restoration gifts are uncovered that were already supposed to be yours. In this story, in the restoration came wealth and property that were supposed to be his in the first place. So that is part of it but then there is the added benefit of the gifts given just because you are an adopted child of the King.
Some questions to ponder:
Are you acknowledging those gifts and using them?
Have you accepted them?
Do you even know what they are?
Too many times we keep looking at our crippled feet while we are sitting at the table instead of relishing in the gifts of food set before us. Are you sitting at the table while staring at your crippled feet or are your eyes raised and feasting on the gifts that have been given to you.
If you are a child of the king quit looking at your crippled condition and start using the gifts given to you for His glory!
What are your gifts?
Stop seeing yourself as the cripple who is no better than a dead dog and start living as the child of the King. Use the resources and gifts He has blessed you with and start sharing with those around you!
God love you! God seeks after you! God wants to restore you! God wants you to be His child and sit at His table! Will you join Him and start living as a child of the King?
Prayer Requests:
ReplyDeleteAshlock's safety in the accident
Lady for that hit the Ashlocks
Ian's 6th birthday
Janniere's fighting sickness