Day 129 - A Place at the King's Table

Today's Reading: 2 Sam. 8-10, and 1 Cor. 5

I love this story... I always have, even as a child. I love seeing how David takes in Jonathan's son Mephibosheth, and takes care of him. I love how he adopts him as his own and tells him, "You shall eat bread at my table continually." (2 Sam. 9:7) In another place, David's words are recorded as follows: "As for Mephibosheth, he shall eat bread at my table as one of the king's sons." (2 Sam. 9:11)

Understandably, Mephibosheth must have had some concerns about David. In fact, he probably was a bit afraid of David, wondering what David was going to do to him when he was called to the palace. But David soon alleviated his concerns and won his heart. Ellen White writes:

"David, in his covenant with Jonathan, had promised that when he should have rest from his enemies he would show kindness to the house of Saul. In his prosperity, mindful of this covenant, the king made inquiry, 'Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?' He was told of a son of Jonathan, Mephibosheth, who had been lame from childhood. At the time of Saul’s defeat by the Philistines at Jezreel, the nurse of this child, attempting to flee with him, had let him fall, thus making him a lifelong cripple. David now summoned the young man to court and received him with great kindness. The private possessions of Saul were restored to him for the support of his household; but the son of Jonathan was himself to be the constant guest of the king, sitting daily at the royal table. Through reports from the enemies of David, Mephibosheth had been led to cherish a strong prejudice against him as a usurper; but the monarch’s generous and courteous reception of him and his continued kindness won the heart of the young man; he became strongly attached to David, and, like his father Jonathan, he felt that his interest was one with that of the king whom God had chosen." Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 713.

In this story I see a beautiful parallel of how we are treated by Christ. We are lame and crippled in our sins, and yet Jesus says, "Come... I want you to be one with me. I want you to sit at My table!" And He adopts us as His children! How beautiful what Christ has done for us. Are we taking advantage of this beautiful gift, a place at His table, a place of continual communion and refreshment?

Tomorrow's Reading: 2 Sam. 11-12, and Psalm 51