My son is an extrovert much like I am. Every day when I pick him up from school, he either wants to go to someone’s house or he wants someone to come to ours. Most days, i have to tell him, “No.” Then on the way home we have to have another conversation. “Why can’t we just go to their house and have dinner tonight,” he asks. “Because you can’t invite yourself to someone else’s house,” I’ll tell him. Back and forth we go. I have to explain they’re not expecting us. They haven’t prepared enough food. They may be eating out. They may have other friends coming over. They may just want to be alone, which is a foreign concept to him. Although we have this conversation several times a week, he doesn’t stop wanting to show up at friend’s houses uninvited.
In 2 Samuel 9, David remembered his promise to Jonathan to always show kindness to the house of Saul. He asked if there was anyone left alive and they told him Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth was still alive, but he was crippled. David immediately sent an invitation to him to come over. When he arrived, Mephibosheth was nervous and scared wondering if he was going to be killed. In verse 7 David said, “Don’t be afraid, I will be kind to you for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will give you back all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always be welcome at my table” (GNT). The chapter ends saying that Mephibosheth ate all his meals at the king’s table just like one of the king’s sons.
Mephibosheth is a representation of you and I. We’ve been crippled by our sins, yet God invites us to sit at His table. So many times we feel unworthy to sit there, but we have been invited to sit there every day to dine with Him. While on our own, we would never be worthy to sit there, Jesus became our righteousness and made us sons of God. Romans 8:16 gives us this powerful promise, “God’s Spirit joins himself to our spirits to declare that we are God’s children.” That makes us the King’s sons and daughters and creates an open invitation to join Him daily. Even when you don’t feel like you deserve it, come to the table. You are a child of God and belong at His table where your mental, physical and spiritual needs are met daily.
Devotions by Chris Hendrix 