In my shame He Searched And Made a notice of me

One of the most profound stories of grace in the Old Covenant scripture which shed’s such a light on God’s sovereignty of election through grace and that is the story of 2 Samuel chapter 9.

An amazing metaphor of unconditional love and divine mercy in God’s redemptive plan for His chosen, “Out of my mouth proceeds shame”

Is the name of a young man that we seldom remember to talk about.

The picture portrayed in 2^nd Samuel chapter 9 is the picture of God’s unfathomable mercy on mankind through redemption.

This beautiful picture of God’s unconditional charity for the sinner is a huge declaration of His love for you and me.

The story of David’s care and provision for Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 9 is one of the most heart-warming accounts in the entire Bible. The love and mercy which King David showed to poor crippled Mephibosheth went far beyond the call of duty. There was nothing that required David to take care of Mephibosheth, but David was very concerned about his condition and reached out to him in grace—with no strings attached.

David’s unconditional love for Mephibosheth is a great illustration of the unconditional love that God has for us.

The verbal picture which God has painted for us in this chapter of His Word could be entitled “Mephibosheth and Me.” In it we see ourselves in the figure of Mephibosheth—the “me” that’s been overwhelmed by the love of One greater than David, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Mephibosheth was a grandson of King Saul, the first king of Israel. Saul was the king who started out well but then turned away from the Lord. He not only stopped following the Lord, but he plotted to get rid of David, the Lord’s anointed king. Thus there was alienation and enmity between David and the dynasty of Saul. As a member of the deposed house of Saul, Mephibosheth deserved nothing from King David. In those days when a new dynasty came into power, the king would quickly put to death any possible rival threats to the throne.

The best Mephibosheth could hope for was exile! But David not only showed mercy to Mephibosheth, he treated him as a prince and member of his own household. Even the “embarrassment” of having a crippled member of a deposed dynasty in the royal courts did not in any way affect David’s gracious treatment of Mephibosheth. What a fascinating picture of the undeserved mercy and over-whelming grace which God has shown us.

The fallen dynasty of Saul is a picture of fallen mankind. Man was created by God and given a kingly position in God’s creation. But, like Saul, man turned away from the Lord in disobedience and fell from his royal position into sin. Thus, as Romans 5:12 states, sin and its penalty of death was passed on to all mankind. “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, so death spread to all men, because all sinned.”

We, like Mephibosheth, were born into a fallen dynasty. Like Mephibosheth, we were by lineage under the sentence of exile and death. And, like Mephibosheth, we could do nothing to help ourselves out of our predicament. The fact that Mephibosheth was lame in both feet further adds to the picture of helplessness. Perhaps the fall which caused Mephibosheth’s handicap is also intended by God to be part of the picture of our fallen state. (See 2 Samuel 4:4.) Even Mephibosheth’s name adds to the portrayal of fallen man. His name means “shameful speech from my mouth.” As we look back over our lives, all of us must admit that this name is a fitting description of “me.”

This alienation and enmity that separated Mephibosheth from David because of Mephibosheth’s connection with the fallen dynasty of Saul were overcome completely by David.

Notice that David took the initiative in searching out Mephibosheth. How characteristic of our sovereign Lord. He took the initiative and found us, not vice versa. As members of the fallen human race we were not seeking God. We may have been groping after our idea of “goodness” (or some kind of god “created in our own image!”), but we certainly were not actively searching for the infinitely holy and righteous God of the Bible! Until He began to work in our hearts, our idea of God and our attitude towards Him were probably similar to that of Mephibosheth’s toward David—someone to fear and hide from so as to avoid confrontation. But Mephibosheth came to know and appreciate the love and kindness of the king who sought and found him. In the same way, we have come to know and experience the love and compassion of the King who came to “seek and to save those who were lost” (Luke 19:10).

The promise of a Redeemer for the fallen race is repeated throughout the Old Testament, and the incredible preservation of the nation of Israel, who would bring forth the Redeemer, speak volumes about God’s loyal love for sinful man. Ultimately, of course, we see God’s covenantal love for man focused in the giving of His own Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. As Jonathan, a member of the house of Saul was the link between David’s love and Mephibosheth’s need, so the Lord Jesus, a Member of the human race, was the necessary link between God’s love and our great need. We read in Hebrews 2:17 that “He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” In verse 7 we are told that all the crown properties that once belonged to Saul and his dynasty would be returned to Mephibosheth by royal decree.

This is one more detail of the picture that highlights God’s love for fallen man. As part of the fallen sinful human race we had lost everything and were under the sentence of death, but in Christ we have regained our status of righteousness—and so much more! We have been brought into the family of God and given every blessing heaven has to offer. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”

This is the beauty of all the spiritual realities of God’s greatest kindness to a fallen humanity. Exactly when you and I think all is finished and shame is what is in our speech and life, then He comes to call us and that by our own name. He says like David “Is there not one that I can show the kindness of God to Him?”.

Mephibosheth’s attitude in response to David’s discovery of him is very significant in the picture of “Mephibosheth and Me.” Even before Mephibosheth knew what David had planned, he prostrated himself and said, “Here is your servant.” He didn’t try to justify himself or make excuses for his connection with Saul or throw the blame for his situation on others. In the same way, we had to come before God with a “dead dog” attitude in order to benefit from His mercy. And this must be the heart attitude of us all coming to Him. There was not much lower in the Hebrew culture than a dead dog. Many people today are unwilling to assume such a humble attitude. Their humanistic pride and arrogance keeps them from experiencing the love and blessings of the King.

This also can be a serious hindrance within the Church of Jesus Christ for ultimate blessings too.

Religious pride and pharisaical attitude can hinder us from our highest position of abundant blessing in His kingdom also. Jesus, who passes by the prideful, makes notice of the humble. As it was not Mephibosheth’s honored position, which elevated Him to continually dine at the kings table, so it is with us today. We are to one day seat with Him at the wedding supper of the Lamb and it must be His grace that comes to lift us up to live with Him and dine with eternally.

Christ seeks after us when He knows the time is right and when we have a low picture or estimation of ourselves it is only then when He call us by name to show us God’s mercies in our lives

. Just like Gideon or Ruth and Moses and numerous others they were elevated in their humility and their unaware state of nothingness that made God’s mercy truly work on their behalf.