Wednesday, May 16, 2012

2 Samuel 8 and 9 with 1 Chronicles 18: Called Out of Destitution

2 Samuel 9
1 AND DAVID said, Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul to whom I may show kindness for Jonathan's sake?

2 And of the house of Saul there was a servant whose name was Ziba. When they had called him to David, he said to him, Are you Ziba? He said, I, your servant, am he.

3 The king said, Is there not still someone of the house of Saul to whom I may show the [unfailing, unsought, unlimited] mercy and kindness of God? Ziba replied, Jonathan has yet a son [Mephibosheth] who is lame in his feet.


4 And the king said, Where is he? Ziba replied, He is in the house of Machir son of Ammiel in Lo-debar.



David called Mephibosheth out from Lo-debar, a place in Palestine. Lo-debar means pastureless. Pastureless is described as "destitute of pasture." (thinkexist.com) I find that very interesting. If something is destitute then it is "lacking possessions and resources; especially related to suffering extreme poverty." (merriam-webster.com)

Mephibosheth was crippled, lived in a place that was destitute, and refers to himself as "a dead dog." (verse 8) 

I believe he suffered from not only poverty of body, but poverty of soul. He was marked by destitution.


2 Samuel 9

8 And [the cripple] bowed himself and said, What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I am?


BUT he was called out of the place destitution and was offered a place at the king's table. Mephibosheth accepted David's kindness.

We all are destitute in one form or another- spirit, soul, body, etc. BUT the King of the Universe has called us out of "Lo-debar," offering us a seat at His table. Will we accept the His generous offer?

Thank You, my King, for inviting me to Your table. I recognize my destitution and humbly accept Your offer.  Thank You!

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