Positioning Ourselves - Mephibosheth

I have been completely blown away by the sweetness of the Lord in my life lately.  


This past week, the Lord brought a passage of scripture in the Old Testament back to me in a new light. I've read it before, but this time it was different.  It is the story about David and Mephibosheth.  Have you read it lately, dear friend?  Because to me this is one of the most precious little stories in the bible.


You see, David made a covenant, or should I say, "cut" a covenant with Jonathan, years before this story takes place, and in light of the fact that Saul wanted to kill David (the one who Samuel had anointed to become the next king) they vowed to protect one another and "show kindness" to each other's decedents FOREVER.  


Fast forward a few years later and Saul and Jonathan were killed at the hand of the Philistines.  They died a brutal death.  Jonathan had a son (unbeknown to David) named Mephibosheth who was 5 years old at the time.  Mephibosheth's nurse or nanny or caretaker or whatever you want to call her, was completely ignorant of the Covenant that had been made on Mephibosheth's behalf.  Knowing that kings in that day commonly wanted to annihilate all decedents of the previous king, she grabbed him up and in a hurry to protect his life, she dropped him in the run, and he became lame in both feet.  Mephibosheth then went on to live in hiding until what happens next.


So you see here is King David, sitting on his throne and all the dust has settled and he asks if there are ANY decedents of his best friend Jonathan to  which he can show favor and kindness?  And enters this Mephibosheth... lame, helpless, terrified, lonely, and living in a barren land called lo-debar.  Not only that but physical deformity was a great source of shame in that day's society.  He falls prostrate at the feet of King David, not having a CLUE that his father had made a way for him long before this day.


Then David completely went against cultural norm.  Might I venture to say that he did something COMPLETELY "counter cultural" ?  He invited this undeserving, lame, lonely, crippled man to eat at his table, and then GAVE Mephibosheth the entire inheritance of his grandfathers kingdom.  He required Mephibosheths servant and all of his servants to work the land on his behalf and to provide the finest food and care for this undeserving young man.  Not only that but in the passage, it reads like this: 


“As for Mephibosheth,” said the king, “he shall eat at 3my table like one of the king’s sons.” 
Unbelievable.  
He was accepted into Davids household as a son of the king.. 
He was given true sonship.  
Then the story ends with these words, "He was lame in both feet."


Mephibosheth is you and me dear friend.  We have run from Jesus because we have no idea of the covenant made on our behalf.  We have broken our feet and in our running away and hiding. We have lived in barren places. But because of the great love of our heavenly father, He has offered us true sonship.  


It is interesting to me that the story ends reminding us of Mephibosheth's deformity. Why is that? Well, I know that when I remember my need for Jesus, I am way more likely to run to Him and receive all that he has for me. We can rejoice in our thorns. We have nothing to stand on.  We cannot stand on our talents, good works, or accomplishments. We have been invited in and been named the son of a KING!  And not only that, we have been given the gift of partnering with Him in an unshakeable kingdom.


I, with "nothing to stand on" want to remember that I am hanging on the back of Jesus, with my arms stretched around his neck. What a picture.  


When I think of us positioning ourselves, what better place to be?
Lord, keep me aware of my need for you and what you have done for me and what you continue to do for me every hour of every day - raise me up to sit at your table with you and partner with you in your unshakeable kingdom.


And in the form of a prayer, humbled and on my knees, with tears streaming down, I ask this question of the Lord, 


"Lord, in your perfect timing, will you open our eyes to the Mephibosheths out there in hiding that we might invite to dine at our table?"