Dave spoke this morning about grace, looking at the time in David’s life when he showed grace to Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth (2 Sam 9:1-12). David wanted to show kindness to his friend’s son and is a picture mirroring God’s grace to all people. Rom 5:11 reminds us that sin cripples us; Mephibosheth was physically crippled through a fall and had ended up in a place called Lo Debar, a place of no pasture, a place of barrenness. David made the first move in seeking out Mephibosheth, just as God made the first move to us in sending Christ.
That initial summons to see the king may well have frightened Mephibosheth who could have expected judgment or punishment (so often, a new king got rid of any descendants of the previous ruler in order to avoid any claims to power.) But when Mephibosheth appeared before the king, he only received kindness. David knew his name: God knows ours too. We have done nothing to deserve His grace, but God seeks, saves and restores us. Mephibosheth was allowed to eat at the king’s table, an act of grace. God’s grace is sufficient for us too, drawing us into fellowship and communion with Himself. God’s kindness, grace and favour are shown to us and we are, like Mephibosheth, the happy recipients of grace!