DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE KINDNESS OF GRACE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE KINDNESS OF GRACE

"Now David said, 'Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?' " (II Samuel 9:1)

I am always blessed when I read this incident in the life of King David – How he was faithful to a promise that he had made to Jonathan, the son of King Saul.

The covenant between David and Jonathan was made during the time that King Saul wanted to kill David because Saul was so very jealous of David's popularity with the people of Israel after he slew the giant.

Saul had vowed to destroy David as a challenge to his kingship, but Jonathan loved David, even though David would some day take his place. The heart of Jonathan was knit to David (I Samuel 18:1). So Jonathan helped David escape from King Saul. When they met together for the last time, "Jonathan said to David, 'Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, 'May the LORD be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants, forever." ' " (I Samuel 20:42)

David never forgot this covenant he had made with Jonathan. Now King Saul is dead, and Jonathan is dead, and David wants to fulfill his promise. So he sought out whether there was anyone left of Jonathan's children. He learned that there was one son, Mephibosheth, who had been spared after the death of Jonathan. But he was an invalid, being lame in his feet after being dropped while he was being hustled away to safety by his nurse. (You'll find that in II Samuel 4:4).

David brought Mephibosheth into the palace and took care of him. Mephibosheth had nothing to offer David, but David's mercy and grace allowed Mephibosheth to eat at the King's table (vs. 7).

The thing that blesses me is the thought that even though I had nothing to offer because I was lame, without strength in my sin, King Jesus had mercy on me and allows me to set at His table. As the Shunamite woman in the Song of Solomon said, "He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love" (Solomon 2:4). What a gracious, merciful, loving God we serve.

Love, Dad