Lame But Accepted

One of my favorite
relationships in the Old Testament belong to David and Jonathan. Jonathan was
the son of King Saul. Next in line for the throne.

But
David was anointed king.
Not because Jonathan
would have been a pitiful choice. He wasn’t like his father, Saul–arrogant,
prideful, selfish.
“Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his
armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be
that the LORD will work for us. For nothing restrains the LORD from saving by
many or by few.” 1Samuel 14:6
Jonathan knew the Lord,
knew His power and knew He was in charge. He respected God’s choice.
And
Jonathan loved David.
“Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he
loved him as his own soul.” 1Samuel 18:3 I don’t know what it is about
this verse, about these men who loved each other as brothers but when I read
this, I cry. Every time. Every. Single. Time. It moves me. So much so, I wrote
a novel using this parallel.
Maybe because I know
how it ends.
“Then
the Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons. And the Philistines
killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul’s sons.” 1Samuel
31:2

And a servant came…
Then
David said to him, “How did the matter go? Please tell me.” And he answered,
“The people have fled from the battle, many of the people are fallen and dead,
and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.” 2Samuel 1:4
Denial
cloaked David. Maybe…maybe it was a rumor. Not Jonathan. Not his beloved friend.
… “How
do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?” 2Samuel
1:5

The servant told him what happened.


“And
they mourned and wept and fasted…” 2Samuel 1:12
David
wrote a song and lamented about Saul and Jonathan, with fierce sorrow. In
public. Jonathan, a friend who loved him enough to save him to be king. When he
could have killed him.
David
never forgot Jonathan and his friendship or their covenant with each other.
“Now
David said, “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may
show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 
2Sameul 9:1
 “And
Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame
in his feet.” 2Samuel 9:3
That’s
right! 

“Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son… He was
five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel; and his
nurse took him up and fled. And it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he
fell and became lame
. His name was Mephibosheth.” 2Samuel 4:4

Mephibosheth.
“Now
when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to
David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said,
“Mephibosheth?” And he answered, “Here is your servant!” 2Samuel 9:6
Servant? Did he think David was going to put him into bondage–a slave/servant?
Mephibosheth
a boy, who beyond his own control, was
hurt. Ruined. His father ripped from him.
His legacy…destroyed. Unable to walk. Unable to be king.
No one.
Broken.
Forgotten.
But David….a man after God’s own heart…

Not a slave. Not forced into servitude. 

Saved.

Remembered.

Taken care of.

“So Mephibosheth dwelt
in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king’s table. And he was lame in
both his feet. ” 2Samuel 9:13

The
king’s table. A place he had no business being. Not with lame feet. Not someone
who should be the king’s enemy.
“But God demonstrates His own love toward
us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for
us.” Romans 5:8
“For
God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the
world through Him might be saved.” John 3:17
 “He
heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3
Like
Mephibosheth, maybe you’ve been hurt, broken. Things spiraled out of control
and you found yourself forgotten, alone, your future gone.
God has not forgotten you.
He wants
to bring you to His table.

Time is
valuable, but one of my very favorite bands of all time, Leeland, says it so much better
than I ever could. Please take a minute and listen.

Have you felt lame? 
Unaccepted? Lost?
 How has God made a place for you? 


I’m hosting at Living by Grace today! Come by! 

In the Word Wednesday: What’s the Point of Passover?

The Old Testament isn’t a dry piece of bread. It’s moist and delicious, full of juicy details that consistently point the way to Jesus.

What does the Passover story mean for us today? I wish I had time to touch on all the details, but I don’t so here is the big picture!  Some of you already know. Keep reading, maybe you can offer extra insight or you’ll learn something new. Maybe it’s going to be a reminder of Love that made His way into our hearts and lives. 

The Lamb

Exodus 12: 3 “On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb…”

Exodus 12:5 “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year.”

God’s people are about to be delivered from Egypt–from bondage–into freedom. This is the last plague God institutes before that freedom comes.

Look at what the prophet Isaiah says, as he prophesied of another Lamb. “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter…” Isaiah 53:7

John 1:29, “…Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!”

1 Peter 1:19, “but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish or spot.”

Revelation 5:12, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power, and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

Removal of Leaven
Exodus 12:8, “Then they shall eat the flesh on that night…with unleavened bread…”
Leaven represents sin and corruption in the Bible.

“…Do you not know that a little leaven spoils the whole lump. Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump…For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” 1 Corinthians 6-8

Blood on the doorposts and lintels
Exodus 12:7, “And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it.”

The blood applied on the door saved all who chose to enter into it. 

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in  Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness…”  Romans 3:23-26

Not only is Jesus’ blood what covers and saves us, He is also the door. He says so Himself in John 10:7-10.

Notice the blood wasn’t applied to the threshold, where people would walk upon. Why? Because the blood of Christ will not be trampled.

“How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?” Hebrews 10:29

God executes judgment. We are exempt.

Exodus 12:12, “For I will pass through the land of Egypt…and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt…and against the gods of Eygpt I will execute judgment; I am the LORD.”

Exodus 12:13, “Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses, where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to to destroy you…”

“Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” Romans 5:9

Whoever eats leaven, dies.
Exodus 12:15, “…For whoever eats leavened bread…that person shall be cut off…”
“Cut off” meaning death. Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death.”

Jesus entered Jerusalem at Passover time. He became the spotless sacrifice needed to save us, to give us eternal life. One sacrifice for all. No more sacrifices under the law. A new Covenant established in blood. It was His joy to endure the cross. For me. For you.

I leave you with this link to a video I couldn’t seem to get uploaded, but I think you’ll be blessed for watching it! A great song by an incredible band Leeland.  http://youtu.be/etXqqGAPYhY

 “Love is on the move.” He will find you. “Anyone can run into the arms of God.” Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.