Readings for today: 2 Samuel 9-11, Luke 19:28-48
There’s a famous story told about John Knox, the founder of Presbyterianism in Scotland. He had a nightmare as he lay dying. When he awoke, he told all his friends that he had just been tempted to believe he had earned heaven through the faithfulness of his life and ministry. But he quickly followed that up with these words, “Blessed be God who enabled me to quench the fiery dart, by suggesting to me such passages of Scripture as these; “What hast thou that thou didst not receive?” (1 Cor. 4:7) “By the grace of God I am what I am.” (1 Cor. 15:10a) “Not I but the grace of God which was with me.” (1 Cor. 15:10b)
It is so easy to think we deserve God’s grace. It’s so easy to believe we’ve done enough. We’re good enough. We’re strong enough. We’ve worked hard enough. Yes, most of know the dictionary definition of grace - “unmerited favor” - but if we’re honest, deep down we like to think we deserve it. If you don’t believe me, take a moment and consider how much we tend to take God’s grace for granted. How little we value our time with Him. How easy it is for us to prioritize other things. Think about how hard it is for us to forgive those who hurt us. Reconcile broken relationships. Extend grace to others. Think about how easy it is for us to play the critic. To assume the worst rather than the best of others. Become angry or dismissive toward those with whom we disagree politically, socially, or spiritually. Yes, grace is a hard concept for us to grasp much less live out on a daily basis.
In today’s reading, we come face to face with a marvelous example of grace in the story of David and Mephibosheth. David is now king. He has the nation firmly united behind him. He is winning battle after battle. Expanding their territory. Gaining tribute. Philistines. Moabites. Syrians. Edomites. All fall before him. Most ancient near east kings, in their efforts to consolidate power, would seek out the last surviving members of the former royal family and have them put to death. After all, you do not want to give any of your enemies a potential rival to rally behind. Not David. David remembers his covenant with Jonathan. David remembers his promise to Saul. He seeks out the last surviving members of Saul’s family in order to honor them. Bless them. Extend grace to them.
Enter Mephibosheth. Crippled. Weak. Broken. Living in abject poverty - Lo-debar literally means “no pasture” - where he has fled to hide. For years, he has eked out an existence hoping to escape the notice of the new king. He knows what would likely happen should he be found out. But now he’s been betrayed. His location is known. The king’s soldiers show up to bring him before David. One can imagine his fear. One can imagine all the nightmare scenarios running through his head. He comes before David and bows his face to the floor at his feet. He begs for mercy though he knows he doesn’t deserve it. And what’s David’s response? Grace.
Friends, we are Mephibosheth. We are crippled. Weak. Broken. We too live in abject spiritual poverty. We too have fled to hide from the King. Many of us have lived this way for years. Putting our heads down and barely eking out an existence. Enslaved to our sin, we tried as best we could to escape God’s notice. But the Holy Spirit sees all and knows all. He found us out! He sought us out! He brought us before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Perhaps you remember the day that happened? The first day you actually humbled yourself before Jesus? I remember it well. I remember the exact spot I was standing on the campus of the University of Colorado in Boulder. I remember feeling the full weight of my sin for the first time. I remember the sense of despair I felt at the way my life was going. I remember how unworthy I felt before the Lord as I prayed to accept Him into my life. And what I remember most of all is feeling utterly overwhelmed as His grace washed over me. For the first time in my life, I knew things would be okay. I knew I was loved with an everlasting love. I knew I was not alone. My heart, once so dry and empty, was immediately filled with joy and peace. It was amazing.
Friends, grace has nothing to do with us. Nothing to do with what we’ve done. Nothing to do with how good we think ourselves to be. It has everything to do with God. By showering us with grace, God is being faithful to Himself. Faithful to the covenant promises He has made. Grace takes the wounded, crippled, and broken and sets a place for them at God’s table. Grace seeks out the spiritually disabled, those lost and wandering in darkness, enslaved to sin, dead in their trespasses and presents them before God. Grace goes to the most barren places, rescues the spiritually poor, and brings them to a place of plenty, where we are fed with the richest of fare. Most of all, grace takes those orphaned by sin and adopts them into God’s own family!
Now here’s what we most often miss about grace. It doesn’t take away our brokenness. Mephibosheth remained crippled for the rest of his life. In the same way, we too remain crippled by our sinful nature. Why does God allow this? Again, the answer is grace. As Mephibosheth limped around the palace, leaning on his crutches, he was reminded over and over again of the amazing grace of the king. As you and I continue our struggle with sin. Tempted. Afflicted. Oppressed. We are being reminded over and over again of the amazing grace of our own King. That takes a wretch like me. Once lost. Now found. Once blind but now can see.
Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 12-14, Luke 20:1-26