(2nd Sam 9:7 CEV) Mephibosheth knelt down again and said, “Why should you care about me? I’m worth no more than a dead dog.”
First of all, to all the fathers, I pray you had a wonderful Father’s Day. Parenting is one of life’s most challenging and most rewarding assignments. Thank God for your children.
This morning we continue our new series entitled, “Faith and Patience VOL III – Never Give Up!” Let me introduce you to another Biblical character. I will start his story off by mentioning David. David lived an interesting life. He was the youngest of eight boys and he was charged with caring for family flock of sheep. David learned a great deal out in the fields tending for and protecting the sheep. When David was a teenager a prophet came to his house and anointed him as the next king of Israel. However, he would not actually take the throne for many years. While David waited for the throne the sitting king, Saul, repeatedly attacked him. Interestingly enough, Saul’s son Jonathan had established an exceptional friendship with David and they decided to make a covenant with each other (see 1st Samuel 20:16).
Fast forward over a decade and God’s promise to David finally came to pass. After all the trials and the many attempts on his life, Saul was dead and David became the next king. Things were finally going great for David and his family and during this time he remembered the covenant he made with Jonathan. Although Jonathan was no longer alive, the covenant remained. David asked, “Is there anyone left of Saul’s family? If so, I’d like to show him some kindness in honor of Jonathan.” One of the older servants told David that Jonathan had a living son, but he was lame. It was a sad story. When the word came to the palace that king Saul was dead everyone scattered. Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth, was under the care of his nanny. She grabbed the five-year-old boy and hurried to get out of the palace. In her haste she dropped the little prince and he was maimed in both his feet. Mephibosheth was carried to the land of Gilead where he grew up and established a life in the city of Lo-debar. Interestingly enough, Lo-debar means “a place of no pasture,” “a barren place.” A little boy who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, as an heir to the throne, and with a bright future, was dropped by life and he wound up in Lo-debar, a barren place with no future. Isn’t that how it is sometimes? Countless people have been dropped by the events of life and they wind up somewhere they never imagined. They wake up thinking, “This isn’t the life I envisioned. This is the life I imagined. This isn’t the life I wanted.”
As soon as David heard about Mephibosheth he commanded his servants to get him. When Mephibosheth, who was once comfortable around royalty, came before King David, he bowed deeply, abasing himself, honoring David. David said, “Mephibosheth.” “Yes sir,” he replied. “Don’t be frightened,” said David. “I’d like to do something special for you in memory of your father Jonathan. To begin with, I’m returning to you all the properties of your grandfather Saul. Furthermore, from now on you’ll take all your meals at my table.” This is where we get to our text and Mephibosheth knelt down again and said, “Why should you care about me? I’m worth no more than a dead dog.” We will stop here for today.
So what does this mean to you today? Two things:
1. Your state is not your fate. Things may not always work out the way you wanted them to, but if you are still alive, then there is still hope for you! Never give up hope!
2. Keep a positive self-image. Don’t allow bad situations to force you to change your opinion of yourself. As a young prince Mephibosheth surely saw himself with a bright future, but after a series of unfortunate events he saw himself as a “dead dog.” Never allow a negative situation to shape your self-image. See yourself the way God sees you.
Closing Confession: Father, I look around at my life – where I am today and what I have been through – and I can acknowledge the fact that everything may not have worked out the way I expected them to. But at the end of the day, I am still here, You are still my God, I am still alive, and I still have hope. You are always with me and since I am never helpless, I am never hopeless. Therefore, I see myself the way You see me. I am a king’s kid, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a chosen person, and I am blessed. I align my opinion of me with Your opinion of me and my positive self-image helps me to keep going, when the pressures of life tell me to quit. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!
