A PLACE AT THE TABLE
“And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet.”
2 Samuel 9:13 (NIV)
Lo Debar, a town in Israel mentioned in the Old Testament, was desolate. The name means no pasture or no thing. It was barren and lifeless—a place where the outcast, crippled and forgotten were sent to die. Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan and grandson of King Saul, lived there. He was an outcast—marked by his fallen family and crippled from a childhood injury.
Before becoming king, David promised Jonathan he’d show kindness to his descendants. When David heard Mephibosheth was alive, he summoned him. For Mephibosheth, that summons likely felt like a death sentence. His family had been David’s enemies, and he had no compensation for his family’s past. But to his great surprise, it wasn’t a summons of judgment—it was an invitation to sit at the king’s table.
Shocked, Mephibosheth responded, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?” (2 Samuel 9:8 NLT). In those days, being crippled meant being disqualified from both religious and royal life. By his own words, Mephibosheth considered himself no better than a dead dog. Yet he was restored—not because of what he could do, but out of love and mercy.
Our culture often promotes self-forgiveness as the path to freedom. But if it is rooted in self-effort, it produces a counterfeit grace. This story offers another option. We, too, come from desolate places, carrying shame, brokenness and regret. Yet God invites us to His table—not because we’ve earned it, but because He is forgiving. We don’t need our forgiveness. We need God’s. The gospel is so great, so profound, that it seats cripples with the King.
But we have a choice. What if Mephibosheth had refused the invitation and remained in Lo Debar? He would’ve missed everything. Likewise, we can have forgiveness and still not live from it, missing out on true life. As believers, we’re not called to muster up self-forgiveness. We’re invited to release the condemnation we carry toward ourselves and live in the mercy and grace of God. The invitation stands. The table is set. The seat is yours. Will you sit down?
APPLICATION: Where do you struggle to receive God’s forgiveness? Take a moment to list the areas where shame still lingers. Ask the Lord what He sees and invite Him to teach you how to live in the freedom He’s already given.
PRAYER: Father, Your mercy and forgiveness are great. Help me today to live in the reality You purchased on the cross. Thank You for forgiveness. You’re wonderful. Amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?