A Place at the Table by Danielle Chambers

2 Samuel 9

One of my favorite things about Scripture is how every single story points back to Jesus. Even in the Old Testament where you would think there is no trace of Jesus, He is there. God is the proud Father of a perfect Son and the entire Bible proves it. Quietly tucked into 2 Samuel is a beautiful story about the unmerited grace of our Savior.

It is the story of my life, and if you are a child of God, it is the story of yours, too.
                                
At a young age God plucked unsuspecting David from the lowly position as a shepherd and anointed him to be the next king over God’s chosen people. Although God chose David to be king, he did not come by the throne easily. In David being anointed the next king of Israel, God had rejected the current king, Saul, and he was not too fond of that situation. So, Saul made it his personal (and eventually unsuccessful) mission to kill David. Although chosen by God, David’s life was not easy and his enemies were real.
 
Even though King Saul was David’s enemy, his son, Jonathan, was his best friend. After Saul and Jonathan’s death, David went on a search to find any of their living relatives so he could show kindness to them in honor of his best friend, Jonathan. A former servant of Saul informed David that a son of Jonathan was still alive, Mephibosheth. The servant also informed David that he was crippled in both feet. Still, David immediately sent for Mephibosheth.
 
Can you imagine what Mephibosheth was thinking when King David sent for him? In those times, it was not uncommon for kings to kill off the entire bloodline of their enemies. I am sure the ride to David’s royal castle was the longest of his life. He was probably replaying in his mind the stories he knew about his grandfather continually pursuing David to kill him. I am sure he devised a plan on how to show David he was not his foe. When he arrived and was brought into David’s presence, the Bible says that Mephibosheth fell to his face before David and surrendered himself to David as his servant.
 
David met Mephibosheth with the same beautiful words Jesus would later speak to his followers over and over again, “Do not fear” (2 Samuel 9:7a, ESV). David went on to explain that he planned to show him kindness for the sake of his father Jonathan, not only that but he would restore his land and invite him to eat at his table, the king’s table. I can just envision Mephibosheth’s face of relief. David didn’t want to harm Mephibosheth, he wanted to bless him.  Mephibosheth had done nothing to deserve to be honored by the King of Israel, yet David wanted to show him favor because of his love for Jonathan. Verse 13 says, “So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king’s table.”
 
Mephibosheth’s story is our story. Our King sent for us by sending his son, Jesus. While we were still his enemy and didn’t stand a chance, while we were a crippled disgrace, he brought us to Him to bless us. Mephibosheth’s only saving grace was the love David had for his friend Jonathan. For us, our saving grace is God’s love for His Son Jesus, because of Him we are invited to the King’s table.
 
Because of Jesus, God restores our land that the enemy had once conquered, and he shows us kindness beyond what we could ever repay. Despite where we came from, despite our crippling sins, He welcomes us. And because of Jesus, we always have a place at the King’s table.



-Danielle