The King's Table

2 Samuel 9:1-8

1 David asked, "Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake?" 2 Now there was a servant of Saul's household named Ziba. They called him to appear before David, and the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" "Your servant," he replied. 3 The king asked, "Is there no one still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show God's kindness?" Ziba answered the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in both feet." 4 "Where is he?" the king asked. Ziba answered, "He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar."

5 So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel. 6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor.
David said, "Mephibosheth!"

"Your servant," he replied.

7 "Don't be afraid," David said to him, "for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table."

8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?"

This afternoon I was reading the story of Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel. It is a story I have read numerous times, but I got to thinking about it and was reminded again about this beautiful story. I've always equated the story to my life and my "eating at the Table" of the Lord. Did you ever think about it like this?

King David, looking for someone to bestow his kindness on, picks the least of these. King David chooses Mephibosheth, a crippled, lowly man who was lame in both feet. King David could have chosen ANYONE to bestow his kindness on, but he chose Mephibosheth. But why?

Let's look at it another way. God, our Father, could have chosen ANYONE to bestow his kindness upon, but He chose us! He chose us. Let that sink in for a minute or two. Can you imagine if He didn't choose us? Can you imagine if we were not invited to eat at the Table of the Lord like Mephibosheth was invited to eat at the table of King David? King David could have chosen to eat with other kings and royalty, but instead, he asked "Is there anyone left to whom I can show kindness?" When God looked across the world, He chose us, all of us who are His children to show His kindness to. Wrap your mind around that for a second...can you?

Mephibosheth was a cripple. Can you imagine the humble honor it was for him to eat with the King? The Bible tells us that Mephibosheth did not feel worthy enough to eat. He even calls himself a dead dog. I don't know about you, but I don't think there is too much more that can get worse or more worthless than being a dead dog. Mephibosheth, an unworthy man (at least in his own eyes) had the honor of dining with the king, and he realized that he was not worthy to sit at the king's table.

Am I worthy to sit at the King's Table? THE King's Table. I am crippled with sin...not worthy of even a glimpse of the Father's kindness; but HE has invited ME to the Table to eat with Him. I am the crippled Mephibosheth, but I am ridden with sin...much worse than a physical ailment. Am I worthy of sitting and eating with the King of Kings? I mean, I would not have been even worthy of eating at King David's table! What makes me think for a second that I can eat with my Heavenly Father?

In verse 7, King David tells Mephibosheth that he will always have a seat at his table. Mephibosheth will always eat with the king. This is a beautiful example of what the Lord does for us. We will always be welcome to eat at our Father's Table...crippled, wounded, or down and out, WE are invited to dine with the King. Yes, a King far greater than King David himself. And like Mephibosheth, we do not deserve such an honor. I DO NOT deserve such an honor.

Can you take this in for a moment? Will you accept the invitation to sit at the King's table for the rest of your days? Will you humbly come, and bow at His feet; realizing that He has chosen US to eat with Him and to have fellowship with Him...the Creator of the Universe. Now THAT just blows my mind! May you find yourself seated at the Table of the Lord today and always...and may you realize that none of us deserve such a holy invitation, but yet all of us are invited; good, bad, ugly, offensive...come as you are.