https://odb.org/2023/10/12/knowing-and-loving-2
I heard the story of Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 9:1-10) preached once in my local church by a senior pastor and was very touched. I found it fascinating and was very impressed that David, after becoming king, sought to bless the grandson of the previous king, who was all out trying to stop David’s ascension. In fact, Saul was out to kill David just because the latter was already anointed by Samuel to be the next king. David had two opportunities to kill Saul himself, as seen in the Scriptures, but didn’t want his own destiny sealed by his own hands. David was the one who coined the famous phrase, “Do not harm the LORD’s anointed.” In other words, David was saying, if I am to be king, I will be king in accordance with God’s timing and will, not through my own doing.
The kindness and compassion shown by David towards Mephibosheth can be traced to a pact made by Mephibosheth’s father, Jonathan, with David to stand with him despite his own father’s desire to kill David. In fact, in one episode, when Jonathan defended David in words, Saul threw a spear at him. David remembered all this, and when Jonathan was killed in battle with Saul, David mourned his death and was filled with deep sorrow.
The story of David vis-a-vis Mephibosheth is a beautiful picture of how God remembers us and redeems us despite our wretchedness and sin. Despite all we lost spiritually as we remained outside His Kingdom, God, in His grace and compassion, restored to us our inheritance in the saints. Christ is able and will restore all that the locusts have devoured. We who were crippled by sin like Mephibosheth will find restoration in God. Like Mephibosheth and David, we will always have a place at the table with Christ. We are now sons and daughters of God, co-heirs with Christ.
I think the lesson for us this morning is to be like David and show those around us kindness, grace, and compassion, especially those who were with us or stood with us in the past. I think the worst thing we could ever do as a believer is to forget those who had helped or supported us in the past. Seriously, we don’t want to be rebuked like the ungrateful servant Jesus spoke about before (Matthew 18:21-35). If Jesus took the trouble to teach that, it must be something very dear to His heart.
Ronnie's Thoughts 