In 2 Samuel 9:3, we read: “Then the king said, ‘Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?' And Ziba said to the king, ‘There is a still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet.'”
“Life isn’t fair, Grandfather.” Timmy slumped on the sofa.
“You’re not the first to think so.” He sat next to Timmy.
“Mephibosheth’s father was Jonathan and his grandfather, King Saul.”
“Bet he had a cushy life.” Grandfather held up his hand.
“Heir to the throne, he did for a while. But King Saul and Jonathan died in battle and David was anointed king. Because of Saul’s hatred for David, everyone fled. As the nursemaid ran with Mephibosheth, she dropped him, causing him to be crippled. They fled to Lo Debar in the desert and he had a steady diet of ‘hate David--if he finds you, he’ll kill you.’
“One day the watch-out yelled. ‘Someone’s coming.’ A speck of dust grew into a cloud. Riders. Coming to Lo Debar, the place of nothing.
“‘We come for Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan. King David’s orders,’ one said.
"In the king’s presence, he threw down his crutches and fell on his face.
“‘Mephibosheth,’ the king said. ‘Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather.’
“‘Why? I am nothing.’
“‘As for Mephibosheth,’ said the king, ‘he shall eat at my table like one of my sons.’ So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem and ate at the king’s table. And he was lame in both feet.”
“Grandfather, Mephibosheth hated David. How could he be kind to him? Grandfather smiled.
“He showed the kindness of God, son. Shouldn’t we do the same?”
Kingdom thinking. I’m crippled, broken. My feet take me places I don’t want to go, yet you, Lord, invite me to sit at your table? How marvelous to know God, the Father, accepts me because of what His Son, the Lord Jesus (my Jonathan), has done. He offers the same invitation to you. He loves you and promises never to forsake you. Won’t you come?
“Life isn’t fair, Grandfather.” Timmy slumped on the sofa.
“You’re not the first to think so.” He sat next to Timmy.
“Mephibosheth’s father was Jonathan and his grandfather, King Saul.”
“Bet he had a cushy life.” Grandfather held up his hand.
“Heir to the throne, he did for a while. But King Saul and Jonathan died in battle and David was anointed king. Because of Saul’s hatred for David, everyone fled. As the nursemaid ran with Mephibosheth, she dropped him, causing him to be crippled. They fled to Lo Debar in the desert and he had a steady diet of ‘hate David--if he finds you, he’ll kill you.’
“One day the watch-out yelled. ‘Someone’s coming.’ A speck of dust grew into a cloud. Riders. Coming to Lo Debar, the place of nothing.
“‘We come for Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan. King David’s orders,’ one said.
"In the king’s presence, he threw down his crutches and fell on his face.
“‘Mephibosheth,’ the king said. ‘Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather.’
“‘Why? I am nothing.’
“‘As for Mephibosheth,’ said the king, ‘he shall eat at my table like one of my sons.’ So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem and ate at the king’s table. And he was lame in both feet.”
“Grandfather, Mephibosheth hated David. How could he be kind to him? Grandfather smiled.
“He showed the kindness of God, son. Shouldn’t we do the same?”
Kingdom thinking. I’m crippled, broken. My feet take me places I don’t want to go, yet you, Lord, invite me to sit at your table? How marvelous to know God, the Father, accepts me because of what His Son, the Lord Jesus (my Jonathan), has done. He offers the same invitation to you. He loves you and promises never to forsake you. Won’t you come?