2 Samuel 19:24-30
Verse 25 When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?”
Having dealt with the issue of forgiveness with the man who had mocked him and the commander of his own army, the king makes his way back up the hill to Jerusalem. This portion of the return journey must have worked over the emotions of this man of praise. To see the walls of the city he had made his home after thinking he may not be able to return must have brought great joy to his heart.
He wasn’t the only one awaiting his return, Mephibosheth, son of the king’s friend Jonathan, was waiting in a way which most people would not want to meet the king, quite unkempt. He hadn’t washed his clothes, trimmed his beard or taken care of his feet since the king had left the city to hide from his son. Mephibosheth was a picture of a man in mourning. He had thought this man who had been like a father to him in recent years was gone forever.
When news came about the king coming home, Mephibosheth went out to greet him. While he could come to rat out Ziba, that wasn’t his first goal, it was to see his friend the king. Only after the king asked why he didn’t come along did Mephibosheth tell David what the servant of Saul had done. With this revelation the king remembers his earlier conversation with Ziba giving him all of the land which had been Saul’s. He knows he can’t undo it totally but he can amend it and so he offers half of the land which previously belonged to the crippled man.
Mephibosheth may have shocked David with his response to the offer. By telling David not to go back on his word to Ziba, he was telling the king some important things about his character. For one thing it was a way of showing a heart of forgiveness. He could have demanded all of his family’s land back but by giving it all to the unfaithful servant he was saying that he was forgiving him and not returning the selfishness the servant had shown.
The other thing his words showed David was his loyalty to the king. He knew David hadn’t just taken him in because of a promise to his dad, the king had gone above and beyond what the promise would have called for. No, Mephibosheth knew David cared for him as a person and he was returning the love.
Making It Personal
Is there a person in your life who holds a family spot in your heart who is not blood related? Why do they hold that place? What can you do for or say to them which will show them how much they mean to you?
Making It Personal Kids
Do you have people who you think of as family but who aren’t really family? Why do you love them as family? Have you told them you love them as family?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for blessing us with a Christian family to enjoy and be blessed by. Help us to share family love with others and to bless those in our family as they bless us in return. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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