At the Table With the King's Kids

Now Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the report of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened that in her hurry to flee, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth (2Sa 4:4).

Can’t you just see this? Saul and Jonathan are dead, but there is still war between the two kingdoms. Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth – let’s call him Sheth, for short. Sheth’s nurse heard that Saul and Jonathan had been killed, and she was now afraid for Sheth. In her hurry to get out, and undoubtedly rushing Sheth, “Come on! We’ve gotta go! Now,” he fell and became lame. Remember, Sheth was five years old, running, with his nurse, for his very life. And he fell, and was crippled.

So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table as one of the king’s sons (2Sa 9:11b).

So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate at the king’s table regularly. Now he was lame in both feet (2Sa 9:13).

Fast-forward. David, now King, wanted to find someone, some remnant, of Saul’s household, that he could bless. He found Sheth, brought him to Jerusalem, and fed him like one of his own sons! When seated at the table, Sheth looked like any other son. His legs didn’t work, but you can’t see a person’s legs under the table.

What can we learn from this passage about Sheth?

Vulnerabilities. I think it’s sadly interesting that Sheth was five years old. Five-year-olds are supposed to be learning to hop, skip, and turn somersaults! How devastating to be crippled at five!

A five-year-old is also becoming more self-aware, as well as becoming more social. How many times have we heard of people who have been severely emotionally or psychologically scarred around the age of five? Too many times. Way too many times. If the enemy can recognize and prey on us and our children’s volunerabilities, we should be even more vigilant to recognize and prepare for his schemes.

Eating Like a King. Despite Sheth’s handicap, he was sitting at the King’s table, eating all the finest foods. Not to mention, he was rubbing elbows with the King’s sons, and with the King! We can only imagine the dinner conversation – remember they were in Jerusalem, which means “Teaching of Peace.” David, the “man after God’s own heart,” would have instructed the boys on how to guard their hearts against lust, how to worship, how to remind themselves of the goodness of God when they were feeling down & out … all the things that he had learned from his own experiences. What an exciting opportunity for growth!

Have you ever found yourself surrounded by greatness? Maybe it’s at church, in the business world, or even in your own family? I have, more than once. Sadly, I have not always mined for the nuggets that were available to me, through people that God had placed in my life. As long as we were all “sitting at the table,” so to speak, no one could see my disabilities. But when it came time to get up from the table, I was, like Sheth …

Crippled. When dinner was over, and the boys began to rise and leave the table, Sheth was reminded of his inadequacies. As long as he was seated, he felt equal. But what about going out to war? He couldn’t. What if they wanted to get up and go play a game of football? Again, he was left out.

What has the power to cripple us?

37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 8:37-39).

If nothing can separate us from the love of God, and if we OVERWHELMINGLY CONQUER (KJV says we are “MORE THAN CONQUERERS”) , then what can possibly cripple us? The only thing

that has the power to cripple us is a little four-letter word.

FEAR. I’ve heard it called, “False Evidence Appearing Real.” I don’t know who came up with that description, but it’s very accurate.

So, how to we deal with fear? We don’t. We simply receive the Love of God.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear… (1Jo 4:18a NASB).

See what an incredible quality of love the Father has shown to us, that we would [be permitted to] be named and called and counted the children of God! And so we are… (1Jo 3:1a AMP).

It’s as simple as turning on a light switch. Just let Him turn on the light of His love, and fear is immediately, intensely, and completely eradicated!

Don’t be a cripple at the King’s table. Be an overwhelming,”more than” conquerer!