Mephibosheth

Here's a name for you ... Mephibosheth. Don't even expect me to be able to pronounce it! LOL

Anyway ... his story is another one of those shadows of the nature of God that really becomes clear later on in the New Testament. His story is in 2 Samuel 9, which I put at the bottom of this. His named was changed from Meribaal (The Lord is my advocate) to Mephibosheth after his feet were crippled.(Mephi means my brokenness and bosheth means shame.) In brief, David (a shadow of Christ in the Old testament) took Mephi in from exile and welcomed him into his presence.

Mephibosheths story really is like our own. He didn't tell him to get it together before he would consider it, David took him in as is! As David put it in verse 9, this is the love of the lord. The word "kindness" in this verse means "covenant love" in the Hebrew ... the love God has for us! God is eternal therefore His love goes on forever. (A Tim paraphrase of St. Augustine.)

Most of us have struggled with our fallen/sin nature that we nearly give up at times. Some of us may be so broken that our personalities resist change. Some of us come to Him after a rather desperate culmination of a whole bunch of failures. Some of us are so handicapped that complete healing has to wait for heavens cure. God discerns the possibilities in the most damaged of lives, take all that is unworthy in it and gradually turn it into good. Some of us get to glorify God for our time through our brokenness. But is a covenant love ... Mephibosheth always had a place at the kings table (v13) ... and the tablecloth covered his crippled feet.

Just wanted to share the story...Tim

2 Samuel 9

An Open Table for Mephibosheth

1 One day David asked, "Is there anyone left of Saul's family? If so, I'd like to show him some kindness in honor of Jonathan."

2 It happened that a servant from Saul's household named Ziba was there. They called him into David's presence. The king asked him, "Are you Ziba?" "Yes sir," he replied.

3 The king asked, "Is there anyone left from the family of Saul to whom I can show some godly kindness?" Ziba told the king, "Yes, there is Jonathan's son, lame in both feet."

4 "Where is he?"
"He's living at the home of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar."

5 King David didn't lose a minute. He sent and got him from the home of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.

6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan (who was the son of Saul), came before David, he bowed deeply, abasing himself, honoring David.
David spoke his name: "Mephibosheth."
"Yes sir?"

7 "Don't be frightened," said David. "I'd like to do something special for you in memory of your father Jonathan. To begin with, I'm returning to you all the properties of your grandfather Saul. Furthermore, from now on you'll take all your meals at my table."

8 Shuffling and stammering, not looking him in the eye, Mephibosheth said, "Who am I that you pay attention to a stray dog like me?"

9-10 David then called in Ziba, Saul's right-hand man, and told him, "Everything that belonged to Saul and his family, I've handed over to your master's grandson. You and your sons and your servants will work his land and bring in the produce, provisions for your master's grandson. Mephibosheth himself, your master's grandson, from now on will take all his meals at my table." Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

11-12 "All that my master the king has ordered his servant," answered Ziba, "your servant will surely do."
And Mephibosheth ate at David's table, just like one of the royal family. Mephibosheth also had a small son named Mica. All who were part of Ziba's household were now the servants of Mephibosheth.

13 Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, taking all his meals at the king's table. He was lame in both feet.

~The Message