“One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” He summoned a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul’s servants. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked. “Yes sir, I am,” Ziba replied. The king then asked him, “Is anyone still alive from Saul’s family? If so, I want to show God’s kindness to them.” Ziba replied, “Yes, one of Jonathan’s sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet.” “Where is he?” the king asked. “In Lo-debar,” Ziba told him, “at the home of Makir son of Ammiel.” So David sent for him and brought him from Makir’s home. His name was Mephibosheth; he was Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson. When he came to David, he bowed low to the ground in deep respect. David said, “Greetings, Mephibosheth.” Mephibosheth replied, “I am your servant.” “Don’t be afraid!” David said. “I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king’s table!” Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, “Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?” Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. You and your sons and servants are to farm the land for him to produce food for your master’s household. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will eat here at my table.” (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.) Ziba replied, “Yes, my Lord the king; I am your servant, and I will do all that you have commanded.” And from that time on, Mephibosheth ate regularly at David’s table, like one of the king’s own sons. Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. From then on, all the members of Ziba’s household were Mephibosheth’s servants. And Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, lived in Jerusalem and ate regularly at the king’s table.”
2 Samuel 9:1-13 NLT
Are you lamed in areas of your life either by poor choices or is your lameness due to someone else’s fault? Fear not the King is looking for you.
I woke up this morning August 18, 2021 at 6:10 AM with two things happening simultaneously in my spirit. A song by Cece singing out to the Lord. “You’re Worthy of it all, You’re worthy of it all, for from You are all things, and to you are all things, You deserve the glory!“ And these words.”but I’m lame in my feet” I knew instinctively that I was to write what He wanted to share. The King is looking for someone who believes that the life they’ve been living is their destiny, but that’s about to change, quickly and drastically if you’ll believe it.
The account above is a wonderful parallel between Abba and His wounded children. Jesus was sent to earth to seek and save all those with lamed feet. Those who have been scarred by life. It doesn’t matter how you see yourself, Jesus is about to show you kindness for His Father’s sake. He made an unbreakable covenant with Abraham that all the nations of the earth, Jew and Gentile would be blessed through him. If you’re already whole like the Pharisees thought they were, then this message isn’t for you. But if you’re lamed in your feet, your time of refreshing is here. Jesus said those who are whole do not need a physician. Religion is a poor substitute for relationship with the King and there’s no room at the King’s table for perfect feet.
“Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”
Luke 5:31-32 NLT
When David asked the life transforming question at the beginning of the chapter, Mephibosheth was living in a place called Lo Debar, a ghetto town in biblical times. The name implies barrenness “no Word or no thing” . It was a place Ill suited for the posterity of a former king. But how many of you know that sin will put us in the worst places? I have no idea how Jonathan’s son ended up in Lo Debar, but things were about to change because the King remembered His covenant. When Mephibosheth was brought to David, he saw himself like the place he came from. He even lowered himself to being no better than a dead dog. None of us, no matter how jacked up our lives are or were, ever considered ourselves dead dogs. But that's how dejected the grandson of a former king felt.
Our Heavenly Father doesn’t care that your feet are lamed, He doesn’t care that the consequences of your sin have left permanent scars on your life. We may have to live with crippled feet for the rest of our lives, but we don’t have to live with crippled hearts. We don’t have to live with crippled souls, the King is calling for you, He wants you to sit at His table. For when you’re seated with Him, your lameness is forever covered. Mephibosheth had everything restored to him, he even got people to serve and care for his household. As long as David reigned Mephibosheth and his family were cared for, but he himself had his feet forever covered under the king’s table.
Your Heavenly Father doesn’t want you distracted by your past. He doesn’t want you seeing yourself as a resident of Lo Debar, see yourself seated at the Kings table, that’s where you belong. Don’t believe me? I’ll prove it to you.
“For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of His grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all He has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.”
Ephesians 2:6-7 NLT
Now, are you convinced? Did you answer His call to restoration? Mephibosheth came bowing down, broken and ashamed, but the king lifted him up, gave him a place of honor as one of his sons. God has done the same in Christ. And desires to point to us as examples of His grace and kindness. We are welcomed at His table lamed feet and all. I’m sure Mephibosheth never gave another thought to his feet. He now had happy feet, feet covered by the love of the king who remembered his covenant.
So are you lamed in your heart? Still living in a place with no word no pasture just emptiness? I’ve come with good news today, Ziba (the Holy Spirit) has been sent to summon you to get out of Lo Debar. He has been instructed to carry you if you can’t walk, sustain you if you’re too weak, encourage you if you’re despairing of life. He comes bearing good tidings of great joy! The King has remembered you and has sent His Helper to bring you home. No more will you have to toil or worry. Everything that was stolen or lost has been restored. All you need to do is come. Are you ready to leave your past failures and hurts behind? Come. Come sit and eat at the King’s table.
Allow me to pray with and for you today. There’s a place of quiet rest near to the heart of God. He doesn’t see your feet, He doesn’t see your mistakes. Like the table provided a covering for the feet of Mephibosheth, so does the blood of Jesus, the blood does infinitely more than cover, it washes, refreshes and restores. The blood of Jesus allows the Father to pass over our lameness to see the finished work of His Son. There’s no need to be ashamed any longer, not if you’ve listened to Ziba and have left Lo Debar. This is a new day! Hallelujah! Glory to the King of kings! And Lord of lords!
Father in the Name of Jesus Christ how honored and humbled we are that you have thought about us. How treasured we are in Your sight that You would send Your Holy Spirit to draw us leading us to repentance with Your loving kindnesses. How incredibly awesome it is that You have invited us to sit at Your table. We draw near by faith with hearts of gratitude. Now Holy Father, I pray for the Mephibosheth’s in this audience today, those whose feet have been made lame either by the damage caused by someone else, or self inflicted. It matters not to You, how it happened or why, what matters is that we heed the call to leave a life of sin and accept Your invitation to come and forever sit at Your table. Grant that through the power of the Holy Spirit they will surrender to being forgiven and restored. They may have been forgotten by others, but never by You. You proved it by sending King Jesus Your beloved Son to pay our ransom. May the one reading these words and this prayer be restored today. May they know moving forward that it shall be well. In Jesus Name. Amen 🙏
Welcome home! He who the Son sets free is free indeed! If the Father says He will show you kindness for Jesus’ sake, you can rest forever in that promise. Don’t leave the King’s table, everything you need has been provided for.
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant
August 24, 2021