Today’s Devotion
Topic: Our Kindness And The Day Of Remembrance (Self Assessment)
Background: There was not going to be a king David if, among other factors, Jonathan who was next in line for the throne hadn’t willingly transferred that privilege to David.
He was a spiritual man and knew David was God’s choice for the throne. He therefore loved David (1 Samuel 18: 1-4) and did everything to protect him from his father Saul’s evil intentions to kill him.
Unfortunately Jonathan and his other brothers died with their father Saul in a battle against the Philistines (1 Samuel 31). Subsequently, David become King.
With the house of Saul seemingly wiped off, will that be the end of Jonathan’s kindness towards David? Did his selflessness towards David die with him on that day of battle? As David mourned Jonathan and gave him a befitting burial was that to represent his eternal pay back for Jonathan’s kindness? So that after the burial, he is free from all commitments he could have had towards Jonathan if the latter were to be alive?
For answers to these and more, join in today’s bible study. It will be a blessing.
Text: 2 Samuel 9: 1- 11
1 David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba. They summoned him to appear before David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?”
“At your service,” he replied.
3 The king asked, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?”
Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame in both feet.” 4 “Where is he?” the king asked. Ziba answered, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.”
5 So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel. 6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor. David said, “Mephibosheth!”
“At your service,” he replied.
7 “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.” 8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”
9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s steward, and said to him, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master’s grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)
11 Then Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons. Amen
QUESTIONS
1. When David would ask, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” What does this tell us about the good we do for others, even if we do not appear to have directly reaped any benefits from them as pay back?
2. What do you think about:
a. Mephibosheth’s situation before David invited him?
b. Ziba (Saul’s Servant- hence Mephibosheth’s servant too) who knew all about his situation and even knew where he was but wouldn’t bother about him?
c. All the properties of Saul that Mephibosheth was not in possession of before David’s invitation to him. Do you think they would have been restored to him if not for his father Jonathan’s kindness towards David?
3. How do you think David’s invitation and offer of help changed Mephibosheth forever?
4. What does Mephibosheth eating at the king’s table like one of the king’s sons signify?
5. What have you learnt about kindness and the day of remembrance from this devotion?
Kindly reply us from this same social media platform (WhatsApp/ Facebook). We learn a great deal from the answers you share.
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