Because of His kindness, I'll eat at His table.....

I am ecstatic!  Tomorrow we are doing a Sunday School lesson on demonstrating kindness.  The lesson centers around one of many favorites for me in the Bible.  It is from 2 Samuel Chapter 9.  The focal person in this chapter is a man by the name of Mephibosheth  (mef-ib-'osh-eth) .  His name means "destroying shame".  Let me tell you a little background on Mephibosheth. 

  He was the grandson of King Saul (who hated and tried to kill King David).  He is the son of Jonathon (who was David's best friend).  When he was 5 years old his nurse took him to escape possible death.  In her haste she dropped him and he became crippled in both feet.  From that time on, he was a nobody.  No one paid him any attention.  As a matter of fact, once his father and grandfather died, his servant Ziba (who turns out to be very wicked), took him to a remote place so as to "protect him" from future harm.  Ziba thought King David would never look for Mephibosheth in this place, but then he didn't know how strong David's covenant with his best friend Jonathon was (he had promised Jonathon he would take care of his family).

Now we open in chapter 9 of 2 Samuel.  David inquires of Ziba (verse 1), "Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?"....Ziba, as an afterthought tells him about Jonathan's son and then adds, "he is crippled in both his feet".  Almost as if to say, "Well, there is this one but....you don't want him, he is damaged goods, not worthy of kindness".  The rest is history.  David did want him.  He lavished on him an inheritance that Mephibosheth felt unworthy to receive.  He had been told all his life that he was a nobody, that he wasn't loved and couldn't be loved.  Now, the King, is giving him the land, the servants and a place at the King's table forever!

Can you see where I'm going with this?  If you are a believer in Christ (you have a relationship with Him, you talk the talk and walk the walk, He is Lord of your life), you have a place at the King's table.  You will eat with Him for the rest of your days!  You have an inheritance in heaven that you are unworthy of and cannot fathom.  At your lowest moment, just when you think you are most unlovable....you can enter the King's presence and humble yourself  and He will bestow on you His riches (not yours).....

2 Samuel 9:13 closes with, "....he ate always at the king's table.  Now he was lame in both his feet."  I believe it ended with the account of his deformity because this is us.  We are still capable of sin, we still have our heartaches, our trials, our deformities....but if we are His, we can always eat at His table!  Praise God!  (I am jumping up and down right now).

But God!

The church devotional this morning challenged me to think of all the plans I've had for my life through the years....BUT God had different plans and I praise Him for it!

The word "But" can very often have a negative connotation.  For instance:  In 1991 when my husband had a near fatal car accident, I waited for word of his condition for nearly 4 hours.  A young chrisitian physician came to the waiting area and asked me to accompany him to the chapel.  Tommy, a long time friend of my husband's, and I walked to the chapel.  I will never forget that day.  The physician detailed a list of problems encountered from the car accident, "A broken femur, a torn diaphram, 5 cracked ribs, a punctured lung...".  His words trailed off and I remember thinking in my mind...."Good, good....these are all 'fixable' things and he'll live".  Before I could finish my train of thought, the young physician uttered that dreaded three letter word, "But".  My breath caught in my throat as he finished his sentence, "He has had a severe blow to the pancreas, enzymes are being secreted and he won't live 48 hours."  Those of you that know us, know a miracle took place and my husband is alive and well today. 

Today, I'm challenged to look at the word "But" in a positive light:

-  In my selfishness, I yearned to be an only child....BUT God....knew that I would need my siblings, that they would be my comfort and friends during the tough times.
- I yearned to marry my first love....BUT God....could see what I couldn't see and brought the love of my life to me during a time when I felt alone and isolated.
-  I wanted my mother to live to see my grandchildren....BUT God....knew that only through a combination of trials and tribulation would I come to know Him.
-  I wanted my children to marry various people through the years, people that I thought were best for them....BUT God knew the perfect man for my daughter and He already knows who that perfect girl will be for my son.
-  I wanted to work 5 days a week in a very non-physical job....BUT God....knew where I needed to be and that my present job could be my best mission field ever!

You can find "But God"  all throughout scripture but here is one of my favorites:

Ephesians 2:4,5:   "But God, who is abundant in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses.  By grace you are saved!"

I challenge you today to think of the "But God...." incidences in your own life and see what God has done and is doing for you.