Friday, December 14

MEPHIBOSHETH

2 Samuel 9

The nobodies of the Bible—are they really nobodies? Are we really nobodies? In God’s eyes, not one person was put on this earth to be a nobody. We are to have Christ, the only true somebody, living in us as Mephibosheth did.

The name Mephibosheth means “dispeller of shame; shameless; or put to shame.” If anyone should be looked down upon as a nobody, Mephibosheth fit the picture perfectly, just by the meaning of his name. But he wasn’t. After David became king, he called for Ziba, Saul’s servant, and asked him if there was still someone from the house of Saul that he could show kindness to. Ziba answered King David by telling him there was one who lived in Lo Debar by the name of Mephibosheth. You see, normally, when a king has been killed by a competitor or was overthrown, all the members that belonged to that family were also killed so that no one could take over as king. This boy, Mephibosheth was one who was spared. His nurse, when hearing the news that King Saul was killed, fled with Mephibosheth to spare his life. (2Sam. 4:4) As they were fleeing, she dropped Mephibosheth, and he became lame in both feet.

Mephibosheth was still called to the house of David, so that King David could show kindness to him for Jonathan’s sake. Jonathan was Mephibosheth’s father. Mephibosheth came to King David asking him, “What do you want with a dead dog as I?” Mephibosheth knew he was as good as dead; that he wasn’t worth any attention. He had a secure home where he was, but chose to leave that security and all his possessions. King David showed Mephibosheth the same loving kindness that was in the covenant King David had made with Jonathan.

Just as King David opened his heart and his home to Mephibosheth, God has opened His heart and home to us. God wants us to eat at his table as Mephibosheth ate with King David. Jesus wants to give us all that He has—all of Him. We can come to Him in humility and humbleness, as a dead dog, but unless we are completely and willingly surrendered to Him, we can’t have all that He has to offer. He offers life—the life of Christ living in us. We may be considered a nobody to the people of this earth, but we are a somebody to Jesus, as long as we let Jesus live within us.

Come out of our land of Lo Debar. Look to Jesus and let Him live fully in you. Give all praise and glory to His name.

~ Melody Krauser