Full-Measure Grace

My Dad was a preacher man and one of his most favorite Bible stories seemed to have been when King David searched for Mephibosheth and had him brought to the palace.  Mephibosheth was the son of his good friend Jonathan who had died in the war.

Joanathan was the son of David's arch-enemy King Saul.  On top of this, most newly enthroned kings of those ancient days would kill off all the competition, that is, the royal family members of the former king.

What saved the day was Jonathan and David's promise to each other to care for each others' progeny should either one pass on early.  I suspect that Jonathan realized he'd be first to go and as he was well aware of the murderous hostility directed towards David from his father King Saul for decades, knew what sort of prognosis one in such a position could generally expect from a newly minted king.

Dad loved it that Mephibosheth came and was actually safely able to sit at King David's table and have kindness shown to him.  I don't exactly recall what struck Dad so much about this story but I can imagine some take on it.

The overwhelming swirl of grace exhibited by King David towards Mephibosehth is amazing .  David could have just kept him alive and living in his far away place.  But no, nothing less would suffice than for Mephibosheth to be seated at David's very own table, among David's very own sons.

King David was making a loud and clear statement, I believe to any overly zealous person wishing to do David a supposed favor.  This is truly remarkable after knowing the years of misery and torment Mephibosheth's grandfather perpetuated upon David.  It is so much like God's marvelous grace - the loving and matchless grace of our Lord.  There's no way King Saul's grandson deserved this.  There's no way we deserved God's grace in our day and age, either.  David being a man after God's own heart, went full blast with  his act of grace.  It was not given in half meaures either.  King David restored Mephibosheth's rightful lands and inheritance to him (minus the throne as David was God's anointed choice).

I smile as I sip my tea and remember Dad's fondness for Mephibosheth and his story and the parellel to my story of God's grace bestowed upon me.  May all know this full-measure grace, the ultimate Grace-Giver and His many acts of grace towards us today and for the rest of our lives.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

                                                ~ERC  April 2024~

Based on 2 Samuel 9:6-13 NIV.

Sing, Marvelous Grace (Grace Greater Then Our Sin), along with Reawaken.

Further reading:

Lord's Day Devotion - Act of Grace.