Before falling asleep last night, I was reading in 2 Samuel about the story of Mephibosheth (the son of Jonathan). I am actually preparing for teaching a Wednesday night class at my church for College & Career ages and this is part of the study that God has drawn me to as I prepare. If you aren’t familiar with the backstory, David and Jonathan were best of friends and David made a covenant of friendship and peace that would last through their descendants forever. Well, Saul and Jonathan are killed in battle and David is now king. It would have been customary for him to kill all the members of the previous king’s family, meaning Mephibosheth. This was done to eliminate any threat of a rivalry for the throne. If you read through 2 Samuel 9, you see David seeking out anyone in the family of Jonathan because he wanted to show them kindness. They find Mephibosheth in a place called Lo Debar. When Mephibosheth is brought before David, David tells him, “Do not be afraid, I intend to show you kindness because of your father Jonathan.” Mephibosheth would get to sit at the kings table and eat just like he was a son of the king.
Gosh. That’s some kindness right there. David could have easily killed him, but chose to honor a commitment he made to his friend Jonathan many years before.
There is a lot more to the story, but I just wanted to focus on the part about David seeking out Mephibosheth not for harm, but to offer him a place in the place. Years earlier, when he was five years old, fleeing at the fear of David being king, his nurse took him and fled in haste to Lo Debar. (2 Samuel 4) In doing so, he was dropped/fell and was lame. I can’t say for certain, but I can put myself in his circumstances and say, he fled and lived in fear in Lo Debar. A place that means “no pastures” or “nothing.” He was in a desolate place.
Before the sacrifice of Jesus, we are all lame. Maybe not physically, but most definitely spiritually. We lived in fear…probably most don’t want to admit it, because who wants to be labeled a scaredy-cat. We lived in a spiritual Lo Debar that was unfruitful and lacked everything. We had no place at the table.
All we needed was grace. Unmerited favor.
There is Jesus.
Through His blood there is healing. Now Mephibosheth didn’t get physical healing, and maybe we don’t either, but are healed by the stripes of Jesus! We are healed from sin and can walk in redemption and are called to walk in righteousness through Him.
Perfect love casts out all fear. In Christ, we should have no fear, because we have a hope. God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of love and lot a sound mind. In Christ, you ain’t got to be a scaredy-cat. You have the Holy Spirit that guides and directs you in all truth!
If we were ever unfruitful, it was before Christ. But, when we remain in Him, we produce much fruit! We are not in a place of “no pastures”, but of green pastures!
We have a place at The King of King’s table, friend. We are made to be son’s and daughters of the Most High. We often want to act like employees to a boss or players on a team, because we must “earn” by the worldly standards. You are shown kindness because the line between Jew and Gentile disappears in Christ. We are all one in Christ! Better yet, there is room at the table for everyone who believes and trusts in Him.
I feel like in Christ, I am a cat that has an open invitation to be on top of the table I shouldn’t be near and eat the fish straight from the fishbowl that is choosing to die. What I don’t deserve, I receive freely because the fish is sacrificing his life for my fullness in Him.
Mephibosheth experienced grace because of his father.
We easily deserve death, but we experience grace through our Heavenly Father.
That’s all we needed. Unmerited favor.
That is Jesus.