S)"24 Then Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace."
2 Samuel 19:24 (NASB)
O) It says "son" but it means "descendant" as Mephibosheth was actually Jonathan's son, Saul's grandson. King David showed him favor because of his covenant with Jonathan, who was closer to David than a brother. Mephibosheth had been secretly protected while David's supporters slew the household of Saul. When David discovered Mephibosheth alive, but crippled, he determined not only to preserve his life, but to bless his entire household. When David fled from his own son during Absolom's revolt, Mephibosheth explains that he wanted to follow his king, but was deceived by a wicked servant and was not able to follow on his own. Because of this, in his mourning he took on a sort of a fast. It wasn't, by any means, that he could not tend his own hygiene - he had a household of servants, less the one who deceived him I'm sure. But, he recognized that his household, his family, even his own very life was all because of the favor his king had shown him. In his gratitude and humility, he wanted to follow his king but was physically inhibited. So, rather than resign to the idea that he could do nothing, he took it upon himself to find a way to honor and thank his king, showing his devotion to the one who had redeemed his life..
A) I need to see myself more often as a modern-day Mephibosheth. I come from a big family with a lot of checkers in our past. There has been a lot of pain, dysfunction, and guilt in my family. The way I can view my family is really not too unlike the way Mephibosheth must view his own family line. There is sometimes a touch of shame, or at least regret, that things couldn't be different. It's not necessarily my own guilt, though I'm certainly not innocent, but it's a kind of inherited loss. In my own way, I was hopeless and helpless and hapless. I had my own injuries that were beyond my ability to heal. I felt guilt by association for the name I carried. But then, there was a miracle. Through sheer grace because of the love of the Father, Jesus offered to redeem me. In place of my family name, I was given a new legacy. In place of my own injuries, I was given healing. Instead of being destitute and desperately seeking to find my own way, I was invited to the King's table, to spend time in His presence regularly. In some metaphorical ways, Jesus is not able to reign freely in today's world. Consequently, because of various kinds of limitations, I am not always free to openly support my King. But no matter what kind of circumstances arise, no matter how my hands or feet may be bound, I must remain loyal and find ways to honor my Lord, my God, my King.
P) Father, I will never be able to thank You enough for the grace I found in the redemption You gave. I will never fully grasp why You loved me enough to redeem my life, despite my own ever-present guilt. But, I will continue to thank You and I will continue to seek new ways to honor You. Every part of my life, I owe to You, so I will never stop showing my devotion. I will never stop thanking my King. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
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