June 23, 2021
Praying Friends,
Thank you for praying for our prodigals and for revival each Wednesday. The measure of God’s grace in our lives is incalculable. There is not one of us who can survive without it.
Paul David Tripp recently said, “No one gives grace better than the person who is deeply persuaded that he needs it himself. Self-righteous people tend to be critical, dismissive, and impatient with others.”
This was the case with David. He had received grace and he knew how to give it.
God took him from leading sheep to leading His people. That’s grace! God gave him victory over Goliath the giant. That’s grace! God kept him from slaughtering Nabal’s household. That’s grace! The list goes on.
No wonder David’s heart responded with grace when he began to think about his late-friend Jonathan. Despite the cultural norms of eliminating potential rivals to the throne, he chose to show grace since that was what he had experienced from God. In 2 Samuel 9:6-13, we read:
And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?” Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson. And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master's grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master's grandson shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David's table, like one of the king's sons. And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants. So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king's table. Now he was lame in both his feet.
There are five grace-traits exhibited here that are worth highlighting:
Grace rescues. Mephibosheth lived a broken life. He was an exile, hiding from the king because he knew that his grandfather, King Saul, had tried to kill David numerous times. So Mephibosheth lived in fear of death.
When the king sent for him, you can imagine how troubled he must have been. But far from desiring to kill Mephibosheth, David wanted to show kindness to him and deliver him from his past life of dread and worry.
This is what God seeks to do for you. He longs to deliver you from your sin so you can enjoy the salvation He provides. If you are trapped in fear, His grace can rescue you. If you are fractured and broken, His grace can bring wholeness. If you are lonely, His grace can provide the comfort of His presence. His grace has the power to break any chain that holds you from fully enjoying your place in Christ.
Grace protects. The first words of David to Mephibosheth were, “Do not fear” (2 Sam. 9:7). David was speaking calmness and peace to the young man’s heart. He was telling Mephibosheth that he was not going to hurt or harm him, but rather, protect him. He was saying, “You are safe now.”
Whatever your fear is today, cast yourself upon the grace of God. Like David, your God is fighting for you. He will shelter you from your enemies and He will be to you a place of refuge. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1).
Grace restores. Poor Mephibosheth lived in the destitute, barren wasteland of Lo-debar. He was far from Jerusalem and far from the fertile lands of Judea. Lo-debar was in the north, the mountainous regions east of Jordan. It was both desolate and deserted.
As David’s grace was poured upon Mephibosheth, he restored to him all that once belonged to Saul, his grandfather. Mephibosheth went from being a pauper to now owning acres and acres of prosperous, fertile land, along with servants to tend it. Absolutely amazing!
This is exactly what God has done for you. He has restored what was stolen by sin. For David, it wasn’t overly costly, but for God, it required the giving of His only Son. It meant defeating and destroying sin, which He did at the cross, and restoring the fullness of His life within us. This restoration process continues and will continue until we are living in the wondrous paradise and bliss of our God.
God wants you to live your life in the reality of this grace.
Grace gives. This is the basic characteristic of grace that finds expression in David’s words, “Mephibosheth…shall always eat at my table” (2 Sam. 9:10). Think of the fullness! Think of the fellowship! Think of the frequency! Think of the forever-nature of David’s grace. It would last through to the end of Mephibosheth’s life.
Not only would he eat with the king at his table every day, but he would be there as one of the king’s sons (verse 11).
This describes the glorious grace of God in our lives. We live each day in union with the One we love and enjoy the sacredness of His presence. What an honor!
Grace covers. Mephibosheth was unable to walk. Possibly he was paralytic. This was an injury from the past when, as a child, he had been dropped and the problem of lameness had continued into his adult life. But now, his useless legs dangled unseen and unnoticed beneath the table of his new father and king.
God’s grace not only removes our sin but it covers our shame. It hides what is embarrassing and contemptible to us.
Our challenge today is to live in the goodness of God’s grace and in turn treat others in the very same way. You receive His grace because you recognize that you need it. As you do, be sure to share it with others who need it.
Someone needs rescuing! Someone needs protecting! Someone needs restoring! Someone needs a gift! Someone needs acceptance as they are! May God help you to be marked by grace.
Love in Christ,
Bryan and Rachel
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