I want to publicly acknowledge Dr I want to publicly acknowledge Dr. Chuck Swindoll and his excellent message on this passage which helped my thinking at several places in the text and presentation.

When we appreciate grace, we show it to others!

We love, because He first loved us.

“At your service,” he replied. 2 Samuel 9:1-3a David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba. They summoned him to appear before David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” “At your service,” he replied. The king asked, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?”

Swindoll – “Positive acceptance, in spite of the other person; “God’s kindness” Loyal love or grace Swindoll – “Positive acceptance, in spite of the other person; it isn’t deserved and can never be repaid”

David is experiencing the grace of God. 2 Samuel 8 This chapter recounts the events following the giving of the Davidic Promise to David. David enjoys massive military success against the enemies of Israel as an obedient King to the Mosaic Covenant and one now with the special promise of God for his family. David is experiencing the grace of God. Now, his thoughts turn to some promises he made.

Recalling the earlier promises, David determines to keep them. One incident involved his good friend Jonathan, another, Saul.

1 Samuel 20:13-15 But if it pleases my father to do you evil, then I will report it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And the Lord be with you as He has been with my father. And you shall not only show me the kindness of the Lord while I still live, that I may not die; but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.”

1 Samuel 20:16-17 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Let the Lord require it at the hand of David’s enemies.” Now Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

And, so did his father Saul! Jonathan knew and respected God’s intentions concerning David in spite of his relationship to his father. And, so did his father Saul!

1 Samuel 24:20-22 And now I know indeed that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. Therefore swear now to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name from my father’s house.” So David swore to Saul. And Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

This covenant love, this loyal love David is showing springs from a heart that remembers his commitment. Kings of the day killed off potential rivals. David treats this one as family.

It takes integrity to keep your word when it would be easy to get away with breaking it. We are measured far more by what we do when no one is around than by what we do in front of others.

“Where is he?” the king asked. 2 Samuel 9:3b-5 Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame in both feet.” “Where is he?” the king asked. Ziba answered, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.” So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel.

The one still alive is Mephibosheth. His story is found in 2 Sam. 4 Ishbosheth had just been murdered. As indicated, it was commonplace for new kings to kill off their rivals. And, Mephibosheth’s nurse knew it.

2 Samuel 4:4 Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel; and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

Lo (no) Debar (pasture land) He appears to be hiding in a desolate place. Imagine his thoughts when a representative of the king came.

David said, “Mephibosheth!” “At your service,” he replied. 2 Samuel 9:6-7 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor. David said, “Mephibosheth!” “At your service,” he replied. “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.”

Not exactly what he expected.

2 Samuel 9:8-10 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?” Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s steward, and said to him, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master’s grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

2 Samuel 9:11-13 Then Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons. Mephibosheth had a young son named Mika, and all the members of Ziba’s household were servants of Mephibosheth. And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet.

Imagine the scene at that table. Mighty Joab Handsome Absalom Wise Solomon Beautiful Tamar And, every bit their equal in the King’s sight… Beloved Mephibosheth

Some Insights for our living from Chuck Mephibosheth enjoyed fellowship with his father, like Adam did at one point. But, after the fall, Mephibosheth became a person with a disability, just like Adam, just like you, and just like me. Some Insights for our living from Chuck

We have to forever face what has happened to us. Disaster and fear came along with the fall, and like him, we’re all challenged, him physically, all of us spiritually. He hid and so do we. We have to forever face what has happened to us. Some Insights for our living from Chuck

We are not lesser people. But, we are people with a disability. But, unlike those in the illustration, our disability impacts us in at a deeper, more destructive way, that impacts our very being. Some Insights for our living from Chuck

Some Insights for our living from Chuck David out of loyal love, demonstrated grace to the someone with a disability. So God has to us. Many of us have been a mess and have received God’s grace and have been given a place at the Table. Some Insights for our living from Chuck

Some Insights for our living from Chuck The man with the disability had nothing, deserved nothing, and didn’t try to win the King’s favor, hiding when the King found him. Some Insights for our living from Chuck

Yet, the King set His heart on us. So it is with us. Some of us have been addicts, had affairs, been addicted to our job, we offered nothing and could give nothing to God. Yet, the King set His heart on us. That’s grace and it puts the response on our shoulders. Some Insights for our living from Chuck

We have access to God, into the presence of the King! David restored Mephibosheth from bareness to honor, into the courtroom of the King. We have access to God, into the presence of the King! Some Insights for our living from Chuck

David adopted him into his family, as God has to us. EVERY ONE of us is adopted. God CHOSE us. Some Insights for our living from Chuck

Some Insights for our living from Chuck The limp was a constant reminder of grace. Every place he went, he was reminded, “I’m in this place because of the grace of the King”. Struggle with sin is a constant reminder of grace. Every time I confess, I’m reminded that grace is available. Some Insights for our living from Chuck

Some Insights for our living from Chuck When Mephibosheth sat down, he was treated just like another child of the King. That’s the way it will be when we feast with our Lord, next to Peter, Paul, James, and John. Some Insights for our living from Chuck

And, there we’ll be, feeling like sliding under the table. And, then, the Lord will say, “You are mine”. Some Insights for our living from Chuck

When we appreciate grace, we show it to others!