A Hiding Place for Lame Legs

I stayed home from church this morning, just because it's easier on me. (I think once I get a hard cast, I'll be able to do a few choice things like going to church.) I have this devotional book that I've been going through for the past few months: Mornings and Evenings with Spurgeon. Y'all, if you are in need of a devotional book, PLEASE get this one. This has uplifted me and encouraged me in so many ways already. The topics are deep, yet Spurgeon has this way of drawing you in with what he's saying. Every devo, no matter what the specific topic, is always encouraging and biblical.

This morning's verse/passage was focused on the story of Mephibosheth, King David's beloved friend, Jonathan's son. (If you aren't familiar with the story, I encourage you to read it; it's found in 2 Samuel 9:1-13.) Mephibosheth was lame in both feet, which is why it stuck out to me so much. I know that I probably have no right to compare myself, who broke one leg a few days ago, to a man lame in both feet from birth. However, if I feel so helpless not being able to get up and do things myself for a few weeks, how much more would Mephibosheth have felt his whole life? I can't even imagine having to not be able to walk for my whole life.

I imagine that he felt lonely. Worthless. Self-conscious. Not deserving of anything. What was he good for anyway? If he couldn't take care of himself, I can imagine that he would've felt like he was in the way a lot of the time. Maybe he even felt like he was a waste of time and energy.

The story begins with King David asking around if there was anyone left of Saul's family for his friend, Jonathan's sake. Even though Saul had tried to kill David multiple times, he still wanted to help his family, because Jonathan was Saul's son, and Jonathan had been his best friend. Anywho, he found a previous servant of Saul's, named Ziba. David asked him if there were any family members left of Saul/Jonathan. There was: Mephibosheth. Ziba emphasized that Mephibosheth was lame in both feet, probably warning David that he was a good-for-nothing, who couldn't help himself and would be more of a bother than anything else. Yet, David still called for Mephibosheth to come to his house. And he came. He fell on his face and paid homage to David.

David called to him, "Mephibosheth!" He responded with, "Behold, I am your servant." David told him that he would be kind to him for Jonathan's sake and that he would always be welcome to eat at his table, and that he would restore all of Saul's land to him. WOW. All that just because he was Jonathan's son?

He didn't even deserve it. He had done nothing to earn it back. Technically, since David was called by God to be king, it could've all belonged to him. But yet, he chose to restore everything to Mephibosheth, because he was Jonathan's son.

The next thing that happened in this passage moved me so much. It says that Mephibosheth paid homage to David again, saying, "What is your servant, that you would show regard for a dead dog such as I?" He was a humbled man; he knew he didn't deserve any of the grace and mercy that he was being shown. Yet, he was being treated like a son. Despite all of his infirmities, Mephibosheth was worth something in David's eyes.

This is a beautiful story. I had heard it growing up in Sunday school, but reading it today really spoke to me. I realized that this is a story that reflects who we are as believers. It shows me who I am. Like Mephibosheth, we have so many injuries and infirmities from the fall that we didn't deserve anything good. We're fallen. We're "good-for-nothings," unable to take care of ourselves. Unable to save ourselves. We are dead dogs.

However, God sees Christ in us (as David saw Jonathan's likeness in Mephibosheth), and He gives us grace and mercy. He restores us. He lets us sit and eat at His table. We are treated like sons. He sees VALUE in us. All because He sees Christ in us, if we have Him in our lives.

To close, I think Spurgeon put it well when he said in the devotional book, "A king's table is a noble hiding place for lame legs, and at the gospel feast we learn to glory in infirmities, because the power of Christ rests upon us." May I be thankful to sit and eat at my King's table, and may I rest in the fact that because Christ is in me, I am looked upon as a daughter of the King!