I mentioned in yesterday’s devotion that I thought there were more lessons we can learn from the David & Mephibosheth’s (M from here on), Jonathan’s son, story.
The first, which I wrote about yesterday, was the importance of keeping our word. Let your yes be yes and your no be no (as one of the comments said).
Another lesson we can learn is “spiritualizing” the text, but it is worth looking at. When the nurse caring for M heard about Jonathan’s death, she ran. In her haste she dropped M. At age 5, he was left a cripple. Although not an accurate application, a point can be made that there are many people who are “dropped” in life. Lousy upbringing. Ugly things done to them. Degrading things. Witnessing parents with drugs. Victims of a mother using drugs while pregnant. There are many scenarios. But God can take those who have been “dropped” in life, pick them up, and make them useful for His work.
Another lesson: M was found by David in a city call Lo-Debar. The name means “a place of no pasture.” It was dry, parched, a crummy place to live. I’ve not read why the nurse took him there, if indeed she did. Maybe she knew taking him there would hide him from evil eyes. Maybe he gravitated there as he got older. It just was not a place conducive to “such a nice place to live.”
But think about this with me: when Jesus found us, we were all in a place of no pasture. The effects of sin are on all of us. We are all in the wilderness-separated from God. But like David’s men, God found us and brought us into His presence, His palace, where we enjoy all the benefits of being the king’s son. Just like M did when David honored his promise to Jonathan and brought him into the palace and had him sit at his table for the rest of his life.
We all know people like that. We all know people who need that. I look in the mirror every morning at one of them.
It is interesting how sin just levels the playing field… Rich or Tall, Poor or Small, Red, Yellow, Black, or White… Doesn’t matter. Without God, there isn’t a nice place to live. It amazes me to hear the stories of Joy and Faith of those that live in conditions that in our mind are “3rd World” or worse. Just proves that with God, there really isn’t a place that we at least can’t find peace.
i wish we could all realize that truth Ryan. We do too much comparison-“my sin is worse than yours” or “yours is worse than mine.” You speak truth with your last statement. Only in Christ…
thanks for a fresh perspective on this old story. good insights, Pastor …
You’re welcome and thanks Linda.
Yes, there are too many dropped souls dwelling among us, Bill. May we have God’s grace to recognize them and step in to invite them to the palace.
Blessings!
You are so right Martha. We all know dropped souls, some close. I pray God opens my eyes to see them.
Great devotion today Bill. Great comments on the board as well. Being content where we are at, truly understanding how blessed we are is something that takes work every day to remind us of Who we belong to, and what awesome joy that brings. Telling our own story to help bring people into God’s Kingdom, is something that we have to strive to do each day. After all that is our main job while we are here on earth, God does not want to leave anyone out of the kingdom, and He has ask us to find the lost and bring them to Him.
Thanks for your kind words Gail and I most totally agree on the comments. You are right about our responsibility. People want to hear our story not the warmed over ones of someone else.
Yes! So many spiritual lessons in this passage! I love studying about Lo-Debar and there are so many comparisons to the awful place we were all in when Jesus found us and brought us to His “table” to feast on heavenly manna from now on. He is so gracious and kind and keeps His promises to deliver us. May He richly bless you, Pastor Bill!
It never ceases to amaze me, Cheryl, how we can keep learning lessons, even after we have been reading and hearing stories for years. I was excited to read something new about Lo-Debar’s meaning. And Yes, God is gracious and kind to invite us to His table.