the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 2 of 5
2 Samuel 9:1-13
Ch. 8 has set before us the glory of King David, but there is something else far surpassing it: it is his grace. He has learned it in God’s school being himself its object. Can this indeed be the "manner of men" to receive at his court, at his table, the last representative of the rival line, his enemy’s heir? (read 2 Samuel 4:4).
Definitely not! It is an instance of the "kindness of God". For David is not satisfied just to fulfil his promise to Jonathan and to Saul (1 Samuel 20:14-15; 1 Samuel 24:21-22); he causes this divine grace to overflow towards poor Mephibosheth, who is fully aware of his own unworthiness; and besides, was he not lame and on this account an object of the king’s hatred? (2 Samuel 5:8). But notice the way in which he is sought out, called by his name, reassured, enriched, invited like a member of the family to the king’s table, and finally adopted by him for the rest of his days. What a beautiful type of the work of Jesus on behalf of the sinner!
Mephibosheth will not cease to be a cripple. V. 13 repeats this intentionally. But when he is seated at the royal table this will not be visible. Is it not the same with the believer down here? His old nature is not taken from him, but while he stays in communion with the Lord, he can keep it out of sight.
