“Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant! And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely show the kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually” (2 Samuel 9:6-7).
I can only imagine the horror Mephibosheth felt as David’s messengers knocked on the door of the place where he had been hiding. They were there to take him to the king.
He would soon find his uneasy thoughts and fears unfounded. When the king called out Mephibosheth’s name, I wonder if he saw any resemblance of Jonathan in his son’s face.
Mephibosheth was humbled in the presence of the king. What happened next was beyond his comprehension. As this portrait of forgiveness was unveiled, we see how God “restores the palace.” David promised to restore to Mephibosheth all the land of his grandfather, Saul. “Mephibosheth knew about these lands all along but he was afraid to take possession of them because it would expose him to the king. David went against all custom in showing such kindness to an heir of the former dynasty.” Lastly, David offered a close relationship with him by giving him the honor of continuously eating bread at his table. Jonathan’s son had once felt he was a worthless human being. Surely he never thought he would end up wealthy and dining with the king.
Sue Winchester
Missouri
PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for veteran home missionaries Jerry and Julie Barron (now associate missionaries) as they work to plant a church in San Luis, Mexico .
