Carried to the Table with Mephibosheth
“And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet.” – 2 Samuel 9:13
Have you ever found yourself in a scenario or situation you didn’t feel like you were “good enough” to experience? Perhaps you usually fly coach, but one time you received an upgrade and got to sit first class. Maybe you were invited to attend an event at a prestigious country club or an upscale restaurant and were blown away by the quality of the accommodations. When our surroundings or context exceeds our perceived value of ourselves, something strange and wonderful happens inside us. We feel grateful, privileged, and blessed.
As followers of Jesus, we constantly have opportunities to experience this feeling. It’s the defining aspect of our lives. Once we experience God’s grace through Jesus, we enter a new reality where each day is a reminder of the good things we have that we don’t deserve.
One of my favorite illustrations of this concept is in 2 Samuel 9. 2 Samuel mainly describes David’s life and rise to power in Jerusalem. In his early days as king, David fought off an attack on the throne from Saul’s family and captured the city of Jerusalem for Israel. He enjoyed victories over the Philistines and brought the Ark of the Covenant back into Israelite possession.
Once things settled down, David wondered if anyone in Saul’s family was still living because he wanted to show them kindness. At first glance, David’s wish appears a little strange, as Saul and his family repeatedly threatened David’s life. However, David was close to Saul’s son Jonathan before the Philistines took Jonathan’s life, and David also showed Saul compassion and mercy on multiple occasions.
Word returned to David that Saul had a grandson, Mephibosheth, who was Jonathan’s son. The first thing we learn about Mephibosheth is that he was lame in both feet (2 Samuel 9:3), meaning he couldn’t walk. David sent one of his servants to bring Mephibosheth back into his presence.
I can only imagine how terrified Mephibosheth might have been when he heard the king wanted to see him. Perhaps he thought he was about to die. Consider how shocked he must have been to hear David’s message in 2 Samuel 9:7:
“Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.”
Mephibosheth’s response reflects his surprise: “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?” (2 Samuel 9:8) It’s incredible how David saw value in Mephibosheth that Mephibosheth didn’t even see in himself.
The Christian rock band Leeland summarizes this story from Mephibosheth’s point of view in their song “Carried to the Table” from their 2006 album “The Sound of Melodies.” The chorus of the song reads as follows:
The table of the Lord
What a beautiful picture of God’s grace manifested in a humble situation. I think that many of us are more like Mephibosheth than we realize. We received an invitation to the king’s table, and Jesus carried us there through his sacrifice on the cross. Praise God for his extraordinary gift of salvation.
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” – Ephesians 2:4
Want to read more about Jesus’ amazing grace, shown through his sacrifice on the cross? Check out our recent post on Jesus’ servant leadership in action.