We Are Pursued More Than We Imagine

David asked, "Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake?" (2 Samuel 9:1)

King David’s question led him to his beloved friend Jonathan’s crippled son, Mephibosheth. What a picture of grace!

In those days, the course of action a new king such as David was expected to take was to put to death everyone in the former ruler's family. Granted, David had a covenant with Jonathan that guaranteed no harm on each other’s families (1 Samuel 20), David could still have been thinking more about bolstering his headship over all of Israel. He could have been looking for a man with good political sense that he may include in his court. Or a great military man he could appoint to his armed force. Instead, he sought more to be kind to the grandson of the late former king who tracked him down to kill him.

Jesus Christ also sought us in our broken, crippled state. We are more broken than we think. We were broken when Adam and Eve fell in the garden. Romans 5:6 says, "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly."

"Where is he?" the king asked.
Ziba answered, "He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar."
So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel.
(2 Samuel 9:4-5)

So much like the Christ-type that he is, David pursued Mephibosheth. He inquired on his whereabouts. He sent for him.

We are pursued more than we imagine. The God that spoke everything to existence pursues us. He came to Moses in the burning bush (Exodus 3). Jesus followed Peter to the Sea of Galilee and prepared breakfast for him, just when he has thrown in the towel and gone back to fishing (John 21).

"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." (2 Samuel 9:7)

Don't be afraid. Fear not. This is one of the most frequent phrases in Jesus' teaching.

Mephibosheth bowed down and said, "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?"
(2 Samuel 9:8)

Dead dog is right. If David acted anything like the traditional kings of his day, Mephibosheth was a goner. If Jesus Christ opted to never leave the comforts of his kingdom in heaven to take in our place the punishment we deserve for our sins, we may all seem like we are living and breathing today but we are already dead in eternity.

Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "I have given your master's grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master's grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table." (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.) (2 Samuel 9:9-10)

Jesus Christ poured out the richness of his grace upon us. Ephesians 1:6-7 declares, "...to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace."

And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king's table, and he was crippled in both feet. (2 Samuel 9:13)

One can imagine how lavish the king's table must be. The table cloth must be of the finest fabric. Underneath it, Mephibosheth's crippled legs were concealed everytime he sat there to eat with the king's family.

We eat today of the blessings the LORD provides for our physical bodies and of his Word which satisfies the spirit. In the righteousness of Christ, our brokenness has been covered. The Father sees Jesus Christ as he hides us behind him and by him we are regarded as righteous.

The LORD be praised. Hallelujah! In his name I pray. Amen.