"All my grandfather’s descendants deserved nothing but death from my lord the king, but you gave your servant a place among those who eat at your table. So what right do I have to make any more appeals to the king?” (Mephibosheth to David) 2Sam. 19:28
Do you know people (maybe you are one) that is mad at God and maybe have even gone as far as deconverting or at least temporarily turned their back on Him because He didn't "come through" when they needed Him to? Maybe it was the death of a loved one who they were convinced would be healed but they weren't. Maybe it was a job or raise or promotion at work that they were fasting and praying for and it seemed to only have fallen on "deaf ears." These people might even say, "Here I am going to Church every Sunday, tithing, saying my prayers, and what do I have to show for it? The heathen next to me is getting richer and her kids are winning all the awards at school and they don't seem to have a care in the world."
Asaph had the same issue in Psalm 73 as he wrestled with the ungodly prospering while he was following God and had nothing to show for it. He was about to let go when he went to the house of God and his thinking was straightened out. Maybe this blog can straighten out someone's thinking.
In the above passage, David had to flee Jerusalem because Absolom was coming in with an army and his friend Mephibosheth didn't accompany him. Ziba, Mephibosheth's servant told David that it was because he had decided to side with Absolom but when David eventually defeated Absolom and made his way back to Jerusalem, Mephibosheth met him and stated it was because he was crippled and no one helped him flee with David. Who was David to believe? David decided to divide Mephibosheth's land half and half between Mephibosheth and Ziba because frankly they were probably both telling half truths and there was no Holy water to have them drink to see whose stomach bloated for telling lies like the test for the unfaithful wife. (Numbers 5 bizarre passage) In other words David had no way of discerning who was telling the truth and he had more important things to deal with.
The highlight of this whole story is Mephibosheth's response to David. He basically says that David has given him such undeserved grace and mercy because as Saul's son he deserved death, yet David gave him land and a daily invitation to eat at the king's table, that he submits his whole life to the king to do with as the king pleases. He doesn't deserve any special treatment, he has already gotten it.
What do we deserve? One thing - Hell. That's all. Yet God sent his Son Jesus to die for our sin and rebellion. Those who are thinking of rejecting God because their outdoor wedding was rained on, people got food poisoning, there was a plague of mosquitoes, and the overhead speakers didn't work - show they don't realize the grace and mercy they have received and what it cost the Father.
Live lives of gratitude. What more do you want???
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