Worth It!
My wife and I have now been in our house for almost 25 years. As I look around at all we have accumulated over that time, there is a lot! Now that we are retired and have some time, my wife has started getting rid of and give away some things in an effort to “declutter” our house. She has made some good progress in this effort, but there are some things that hold tremendous value to us personally, that we will not throw away. While these things may have aged or may not be in pristine condition, to us they are worth saving. In 2 Samuel 9:1-13, we see that out of his love for and his covenant relationship with his friend Jonathan, king David reached out to show grace to Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth considered himself worthless because he had been crippled in his body by a physical fall and crippled in his status by his family’s fall from royalty. But in spite of his fallen condition, king David saw Mephibosheth as someone who had value and was worth saving. This week praise God that he valued you, sought you out, and invited you into relationship with Him and a part of His family. Amen
David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba. They summoned him to appear before David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?”
“At your service,” he replied.
The king asked, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?”
Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame in both feet.”
“Where is he?” the king asked.
Ziba answered, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.”
So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel. (2 Sam. 9:1-5) As David was finally solidified in his position as king over all of Israel, he remembered his friend Jonathan. Jonathan had saved David’s life and they had made a covenant of friendship that extended to their descendants. Even though Saul had sought to take David’s life, David sought to honor his covenant with Saul’s son (Jonathan) by showing God’s kindness to someone in Saul’s household. He was told that his friend Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth (note: he was in hiding from king David). Mephibosheth was described as being “lame (crippled) in both feet” as a result of a fall (see 2 Sam. 4:4). We too had fallen and been severely damaged (crippled) by sin, so we avoided relationship with the King. But the King sought us out and extended His loving grace and mercy to us.
When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor.
David said, “Mephibosheth!”
“At your service,” he replied.
“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 bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?” (2 Sam. 9:6-8) Mephibosheth was fearful because his potential claim to the throne (as Saul’s grandson) meant that he was considered an enemy of king David. But response to the invitation to come before the king, was to humble himself. He bowed down before David and referred to himself as a “servant”. David told him not to be afraid. His actions were motivated not out of retaliation, but out of his love for Jonathan and their covenant. He would restore all that Mephibosheth lost (land, servants) and a give him a place of fellowship at the king’s table. Mephibosheth asked the question, who am I that you should notice a “dead dog” like me? He saw himself as worthless. He had no power and was living a life in hiding from the king that was less than what it should have been. He was a “dead man walking” whose life could rightfully be condemned by the king because of his and his ancestor’s transgressions. I came humbly before the King, knowing that I was not worthy of His grace and mercy. But because of Jesus, He looked past my faults and addressed my need!
Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s steward, and said to him, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master’s grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.) Then Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons. Mephibosheth had a young son named Mika, and all the members of Ziba’s household were servants of Mephibosheth. And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet. (2 Sam. 9:9-13) David restored Mephibosheth to a level of royalty by adopting him as a son, giving him an inheritance and providing him fellowship and access to the king. With all that David did, he changed Mephibosheth’s life and gave him new hope. Interestingly however, the scripture ends by pointing out for a second time…he was lame in both feet. The Bible wants us to understand…Mephibosheth was restored and welcomed to live in the king’s presence even in his damaged condition. I’m so glad that while I was yet damaged (a sinner) Jesus died for me to save me. And God not only showed me mercy, but because of His grace He adopted me into His family, gave me an inheritance and the fellowship of His presence (at the table)!
We have all experienced circumstances and moments where we felt less than, not enough or unworthy. But the King sees you differently. You have value to Him, for He knows what He created you to be. Despite your flaws, shortcomings and the crippling effect that sin has had on your life, He looks beyond all of that to the great sacrifice that Jesus made to save you. And He loves you because of it. When you come humbly before Him, He offers you His grace and restores you to all that you were meant to be in the Kingdom. So when the world tries to tell you that you have no value, remember that the King has already given you a relationship with Him to enjoy His fellowship and all the fruits of the Kingdom…because in His eyes, you’re worth it!
Blessings
Rev. Glenn
Here is a message in song about God’s view of your worth. It is entitled “Worth” by Anthony Brown
