The King’s Table

There is a touching story in II Samuel 9. Many of you will recall the deep friendship between Jonathan and David in the Old Testament. Jonathan’s father was King Saul who desired to kill David. When Saul and Jonathan were both killed in battle, David became the next king. Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth who happened to be lame in both his legs. King David desired to show kindness to Jonathan’s son for the sake of the friendship he had shared with Jonathan.

King David instructs that Mephibosheth be brought to live with him and to eat at his table. This was a great honor. When Mephibosheth is brought to King David, we read in II Samuel 9:8, “Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, ‘Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?'” Can you sense the lowliness Mephibosheth felt? Perhaps there was even self-loathing because of his disability. Yet, King David loved Mephibosheth, and treated him as one of his own sons. When King David would look at Mephibosheth, don’t you know he saw in his face reflections of Jonathan. Therefore, what a sweetness David must have felt to gaze upon the countenance of Mephibosheth.

Do you ever feel as Mephibosheth did, like you are nothing better than a dead dog? Do you ever find yourself caught in a trap of self-loathing because of your failures and inadequacies? Please take heart. When God Almighty looks upon your face, He sees Jesus reflected in your countenance. Therefore, you are counted worthy, and because of Jesus, you are invited to sit at the King’s Table.

Jesus Himself is preparing a place for each of us who knows Him. One day, we will sit at the Wedding Feast, and we will eat of the fruit of the Tree of Life. Until then, we are invited to daily feast upon His Word. Daily we may feed upon the pleasures of Jesus, gaining strength and peace needed to face all the troubles of our days. Mephibosheth was counted as a son because of Jonathan. Today, you and I are counted as the children of God because of Jesus.

Take care not to loathe the face you see in the mirror. The reflection you see is a child of the Almighty, invited to sit at the King’s Table.