At the King’s Table

Hey there, welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Our reading, titled At the King's Table, was written by Kieran Quek. He'll live, the vet announced, but his leg will have to be amputated. The stray mongrel my friend had brought in had been run over by a car. Are you the owner? There would be a hefty surgery bill, and the puppy would need care as it recovered.

I am now, my friend replied. Her kindness has given that dog a future in a loving home. Mephibosheth, in 2 Samuel, saw himself as a dead dog, unworthy of favor. Being lame in both feet due to an accident, he was dependent on others to protect and provide for him. Furthermore, after the death of his grandfather, King Saul, he probably feared that David the new king would order all enemies and rivals to the throne killed, as was the common practice of the time. Yet out of love for his friend Jonathan, David ensured that Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth, would always be safe and cared for as his own son. In the same way, we who were once God's enemies, marked for death, have been saved by Jesus and given a place with him in heaven forever. That's what it means to eat at the banquet in the kingdom of God that Luke describes in his gospel. Here we are, the sons and daughters of a king.

What extravagant, undeserved kindness we've received. Let's draw near to God in gratitude and joy. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from 2 Samuel chapter 9 verses 6 through 13. When Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor. David said, Mephibosheth, at your service, he replied.

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. Mephibosheth bowed down and said, what is your servant that you should notice a dead dog like me? Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul's steward, 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. Then Ziba said to the king, your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do. So Mephibosheth ate at David's table like one of the king's sons. Mephibosheth had a young son named Micah, and all the members of Ziba's household were servants of Mephibosheth. And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem because he always ate at the king's table.

He was lame in both feet. Dear Jesus, thank you for saving us and giving us a place at your table forever. Remind us that we're your dear children and help us to always praise and trust you. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.