Root Words | 2 Sam 19:24 30 – True Devotion

I’ve heard it said that “Jesus’ life encompassed by two impossibilities”:

1. The virgin’s womb
2. The empty tomb

Our Lord entered the world thru a door marked “no entrance” and He left the world thru a door marked “no exit”! And in between those two impossibilities He lived a life that said to all “No one left out”! I bring this up as it reminded me of the reason for my devotion to Jesus. As an example of what true devotion to Jesus looks like I am reminded of the story of Mephibosheth’s devotion to David, his king, in 2^nd Samuel 19:24-30. The story takes place back a few chapters in 2 Samuel chapter 9 where David fulfilled the promise he made to Saul’s son Jonathon by showing kindness towards his only surviving son Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson. When David became king he inherited everything that had belonged to Saul but to honor his friend Jonathon, David sought out and found Mephibosheth Jonathon’s only surviving son and blessed him by giving him all his ancestral lands. The lands had been the under the care of Ziba, who had been Saul’s servant and had cared for them until David gave them to Mephibosheth. All this changed in chapter 16:1-4 as David was fleeing Absalom and Jerusalem as Ziba met David with supplies and claimed the supplies were from him and that Mephibosheth had wanted the kingdom for himself, (a lie that was designed to get David to give him all of Mephibosheth property.)

So, the events of this chapter is based upon the appearance of Mephibosheth as he has fallen apart physically during the time David had been away. There are things about Mephibosheth that I can relate too:

1. Mephibosheth had been dropped as a child and it left him crippled unable to function as he was designed too. So is the case of most of us!
2. Mephibosheth was taken in by a benevolent king, who not only restored to him; what he had lost, he also adopted him and invited him to dine with him at his table.
3. I can relate to the mess my life becomes when the king is not on the throne. My former life has a way of creeping back in and pretty soon I begin to look far more like my former self.
4. I can also relate to the elation of wanting to have the King come for me and take me home. 

The truth is, Mephibosheth who had been made a son by David had fallen apart without the king daily in his life. That’s true in our own personal lives when the king is not ruling on the throne of our hearts.

 So, in verse 25, when David saw Mephibosheth he wanted to know why he hadn’t gone with him when he left Jerusalem.  Mephibosheth replies and I paraphrase, “Hey I saddled my donkey, packed my bags and Ziba stole my donkey and told lies about my intentions to you but that’s not why I’m here today I’m just glad your back in my life.” What’s cool is that even though Ziba had lied, and David had believed the lie, Mephibosheth doesn’t demand justice, he doesn’t want what David gave to Ziba when he believed the lie. Why? Because as far as Mephibosheth is concerned he had already gotten from David far more than he had ever deserved, even though he lost everything. The truest sign of devotion to the Lord is when you aren’t out to get anything from Him because you are too elated at having the King in your life! As far as Mephibosheth was concerned having at one time gotten to eat at the kings table was more than enough, even if he never ate there again or got what he had been given back. I want what Mephibosheth has in his life an attitude of gratitude! A heart that says as the psalmist in 84:10 “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.” The heart of Mephibosheth reveals how great it is to be at the king’s table! We can only have this attitude if we have dug deep into the food of intimacy with the King. I’m afraid that the reason many are more concerned with the things of this world instead of time with the King is that they have never sampled the wonders of dinning at His table!

David says of the property, “divide it up” to which Mephibosheth says, “Man, I’m so glad your back in my life King, Ziba can have it all!” How about it; Do we care more for the “Giver” than the gifts? Oh, that our hearts would be like that of Mephibosheth’s who cared nothing for his rights and everything for being right with the king. What Mephibosheth missed was dinning at the kings table far more than the property of his father. And that my friend is what devotion to Jesus is all about. Merry Christmas to all! And may this New Year cause there to be a lot more of Mephibosheth in us and a lot less Ziba!