By Mary Lindow through the Holy Spirit
You can listen to this message as a free podcast at:
www.gcast.com/u/MaryLindow
Preface:
The Lord was tremendously intense with me about the
preparation and study that went along with the prophetic insights
and words intermingled with this message. I would like to
encourage you to read it all thoroughly and to not only skim
through it quickly. This is an hour when the Word and the Spirit
are being brought together to demonstrate the ultimate power of
Christ!
In His Shadow,
Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
www.globalprayerrooms.com
" MEPHIBOSHETH – A PROMISE FOR THE
DISPLACED AND BROKEN HEARTED"
By Mary Lindow
2 Samuel 9 vs 11b-13
“Mephibosheth ate at David's table as one of the king's sons.
Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate endlessly at the
king's table, even though he was crippled in both feet.”
Ephesians 5: 25b 32
“Just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to
make her holy and completed, to perfect her by the washing
with water through the word, and to establish her to himself as
an exultant church, without imperfection or wrinkle or any other
defect, but holy and guiltless.
After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and
cares for it, just as Christ does the church-- 30 for we are
members of his body.”
This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the
church.”
MEPHIBOSHETH:
MEANING ONE WHO SUFFERS SHAME
The name was a joining by two members of the family of Saul -
his son and his grandson. Let's look at this man Mephibosheth.
His life is a picture of a life of disaster, disappointment, and
anxiety. You think you have troubles?
In reading the story we already know that Mephibosheth is
motherless and fatherless, because he is under the care of a
nurse.
2 Samuel 4:4 also says that at the age of five his father,
Jonathan, David's best friend, was killed in battle along with
Jonathan's father, King Saul. To add injury to insult, we are told
that when Mephibosheth's nurse heard the news of the murder
of Jonathan and Saul, she panicked as she ran from harm's
way. And in her running, the nurse dropped the child - causing
him to become crippled. So the baby prince who was in the line
of succession to the throne became a crippled beggar living as
an orphan in hiding. What should have been a life of wealth
became a life of misery, tragedy and heartbreak.
While his family was being assassinated, murdered, and
banished, his future, as a king would never be fulfilled.
AND MORE THAN THAT,
MEPHIBOSHETH WAS PERMANENTLY SCARRED
We can relate to Mephibosheth's being a victim of sad
circumstance. Perhaps you can even testify to being victimized
by other's mistakes for yourself. Like Mephibosheth who trusted
his nurse, some of us can relate to being dropped by those in
whom we've placed our trust. We're living crippled lives because
a person in whom we loved and gave our hearts to...has
dropped us.
JUST LIKE MEPHIBOSHETH WE KNOW WHAT IT FEELS
LIKE TO BE DROPPED BY SOMEONE OR SOMETHING…
…THAT WE'VE TRUSTED.
Our lives are still suffering from the crippling effects of those
disappointments. Everyone has been "dropped" in some way.
And if you haven't, you will be. Some are still so proud in heart
that they never admit to any weakness and therefore shame
those around them who stumble their way to cross of
redemption. It's no wonder that we are afraid to trust again
because we've been lied to or used as scapegoats for the
escape of others who hide their sins and egos behind loud
opinions about how others should behave or...might have done
better in the way they have handled the things that have
happened in their life's journey!
MANY ARE AFRAID TO TAKE CHANCES
BECAUSE OF PAST FAILURES.
Many more are afraid to follow their heart because the plain idea
of making one more mistake sends shivers through them. We
can't handle another anguish. Sometimes it feels as though we
are hanging on by a fine thread. If God is a merciful God, we
wonder when we're going to start seeing the mercy. Our words
echo the psalmist as our soul cries out, "Lord, have mercy on
me!" "Have mercy on me, Lord"
BUT THE THING IS, THERE IS MERCY...
...IF YOU WILL SEE IT.
If you will allow that mercy to saturate your soul. If you'll see that
you have an important role to play in that mercy. In fact, "mercy"
is really the only reason that you and I are existing today,
whether you know that or not. You are here today because at
some level - consciously or subconsciously - you know that God
has been and is merciful to you and you are expressing your
appreciation for that mercy. You are here today because you
know that despite the hurts that have been inflicted upon you,
you want to trust, you want to go on, and you want to find hope.
THE TRUTH IS THAT THERE IS BOTH A BIT OF
MEPHIBOSHETH AND…
…A BIT OF KING DAVID IN ALL OF US.
And perhaps… a bit of King Saul's fear of the loss of power,
position, and need for control and honor. That is, we have been
hurt, but we have also been healed. We have been helped, and
we also have opportunity to help others. We really have
received mercy, and we can offer mercy as well.
WHEN MEPHIBOSHETH WAS CALLED INTO DAVID'S
PRESENCE, HE WAS TERRIFIED!
Why shouldn't he be? As the grandson of dead King Saul,
Mephibosheth was an heir to the throne that David now
possessed. So his first thought was that the king would kill him
because he might see him as a threat. Secondly, Mephibosheth
has experienced little in his life that would make him believe that
something good could happen to him, so he expected injury. His
own words were, "What is your servant that you should look on
a dead dog such as I?" Then King David sent and brought him
out of the house: Mephibosheth must have been terrified when
messengers from David knocked at his door and demanded that
he come with them to see the king. In the back of his mind he
must have constantly anticipated the day when David would do
as other kings did and murder every possible enemy to his
throne.
UP TO THIS POINT MEPHIBOSHETH AND DAVID NEVER
HAD A RELATIONSHIP AND IT WAS BECAUSE
MEPHIBOSHETH WANTED IT THAT WAY.
HE AVOIDED DAVID OUT OF UNFOUNDED FEARS.
BUT DAVID REMOVES THE FEARS OF MEPHIBOSHETH.
Verses (7-8)
So David said to him, "Do not fear, for I will surely show you
kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you
all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at
my table continually."
Then Mephibosheth bowed himself, and said, "What is your
servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?”
Mephibosheth didn't feel worthy of such generosity. He
considered himself a dead dog, meaning a worthless and
insignificant person.
All the years of hiding from the king and Living in fear and
poverty made Mephibosheth thinks of himself as Worthless.
THE OFFER OF MERCY
David didn't want to add to Mephibosheth's Misery.
David offered mercy.
Mephibosheth - in his amazement and skepticism - is restored.
No, he didn't retrieve the ability to walk.
Mephibosheth's weakness did not vanish. The end of the
scripture is clear about that. "He was crippled in both feet." But
he was given a place at the table of the king. This goes far
beyond giving Mephibosheth what was rightly his.
THE HONOR OF A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE KING
David gave Mephibosheth the honor of a close relationship with
the king. The miserable, unfair, undeserved events of his past
didn't change. But he was re-established within the kingdom and
given an opportunity to live out the rest of his life with dignity.
Because David - the King - was merciful.
DAVID KNOWS THAT HE HAS BEEN AN OBJECT OF GOD'S
MERCY IN HIS LIFE.
That he has already been delivered from extreme circumstances
and from ...his own unpredictable behavior.
David is merciful, because he has received mercy - a melody that
will continue throughout David's entire life, even when David
didn't deserve mercy. And - on another level - David knows that,
as he acts as the status of king - also by God's anointing, and
not his own skill - that he must model the mercy of God within
the kingdom.
BLEMISHES OF THE "CRIPPLED" BRIDE
Just like in Ephesians 5 were the blemishes of the "crippled"
bride...she is much like Mephibosheth. Hiding, fearful! And....the
King of our souls, Jesus...restores and cleanses us...brings us
to His table as His Bride and covers our lameness, our
disfigurement underneath the linens of the bridegroom's table
where no one dare point out our imperfections. We are
perfected BY His Mercy! David knew that human beings and a
society that exist without forgiveness and mercy are already
doomed to self-destruction by their bitter doubt.
JESUS DIED FOR THIS VERY REASON.
SO THAT WE MIGHT MODEL HIS KIND OF GUTSY
FORGIVENESS AND MERCY.
AND SO THE STORY FALLS TO US AS EMERGING
LEADERS IN THE KING'S KINGDOM!
We who are like Mephibosheth who have been injured by
dreadful circumstances and by careless people; and we who are
like David, have the opportunity to be instruments of mercy.
We who are like Mephibosheth and David who have received
mercy; and we who must decide if we will live lives of
resentment because of prejudiced facts or ...live lives of gratitude
because of undeserved and unexpected mercy.
The story falls now to us.
BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE.
AS WE HAVE BEEN VICTIMIZED,
WE HAVE ALSO BEEN DELIVERED.
Remember, David - the King - had to decide if his kingdom would
be one of dread or grace. David had to decide if his realm was
going to be established on grounds of vengeance or the
refinement of mercy. In being an instrument of grace, David is setting
the stage for his great, great, great grandson Jesus, who will be
the ultimate expression of mercy to all of us. In the entire history
of humanity no one was more misunderstood or viciously
abused than David's ultimate successor, Jesus.
Yet no person was ever more merciful.
AS HEIRS OF DAVID AND CHRIST IT IS NOW UP TO US TO
PUT INTO PRACTICE THE VERY TREASURE THAT DAVID
HONORED IN THIS STORY.
Loyalty, respect, unwavering love, and the well being of others.
Like David did for Mephibosheth, God has honored and blessed
us with the promise of eternal life, inviting us to dine at His table
in His kingdom eternally. Also, God does this, not because of
any goodness upon our part, but "because of Jesus."
THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY …
AND WHY WE ARE PART OF THE BRIDE OF JESUS
CHRIST.
WE ARE HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN BROKEN.
And because He has restored - and is restoring - US by His
mercy, He invites us to His table, we MUST look around to see
who else needs a place at the table, on His behalf! Not out of
our great "earned reputations" or past accomplishments!
No!
We as models of the Fatherly and Motherly compassion of a
heavenly King invite others, to the table of "covering" and honor.
We bring mercy, expressed with "tender hearts." The best
person to want to be like is not always the strongest or the best
looking!! When we become like Mephibosheth, we can truly
understand mercy and grace.
BEING LIKE MEPHIBOSHETH MEANS:
1. Realizing that the king sought me out.
2. Understanding what I deserved from the king.
3. Acknowledging the ones who brought me to the king.
4. Humbling myself in the sight of the king.
5. Rejoicing in the words of the king.
6. Accepting the provision of the king.
7. Adjusting my life to the requests of the king.
Psalm 51:12
Restore to me again the joy of your salvation,
And make me willing to obey you.
Duplication and re-transmission of this writing is permitted
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Lindow is included.
Thank you.
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www.globalprayerrooms.com
