2 Samuel 9:9

What had his position been? Dependent, perhaps in some measure, on Machir's kindness. Now see how wealthy he had become. "I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always." Who among men but David would have thought of this? Nothing less would satisfy his heart. The inheritance, the favour, was not measured by Mephibosheth's deserts, nor by his desires, but only by those of the king himself.

I notice one more thing before closing. Mephibosheth gets two things — a portion and a place. "Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, 'All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's son'" (v. 9). That is his portion. But there was more. David brought him into the royal palace "as one of the king's sons." "As for Mephibosheth," said the king, "he shall eat at my table, like one of the king's sons." There you have his place.

In the king's mind, seating him as a son at his table was a thousand times more precious than making him an heir. So he repeats these words to him three times (vv. 7, 10, 13).

David speaks about the inheritance, and about those who are to serve Mephibosheth in taking care of it. In this connection he says: "Mephibosheth, your master's son." From now on, when he sits at the king's table, Mephibosheth will keep his background in mind. That will make him wonder even more at the greatness of this grace, as the overwhelming wonder of it dawns on his soul.

It just shows how grace delights to contribute to the blessing of its object, and nothing is too much to devote to it. Here was David saying to Ziba, "You and all your family must serve Mephibosheth; he is the object of my grace." And that is what God does. He saves and blesses a man through and through. He brings him to know Himself, and puts everything at his disposal. Everything is to contribute to his blessing. God loves us, and delights to bless us, and will turn everything to our advantage. The fifteen sons and twenty servants tell us that there is no limit to God's lavish supply to those whom His grace has blessed.

Now notice the contrast between these two men — Ziba the servant and Mephibosheth the son. David calls Ziba and gives him commands, all of which he agrees to keep. "According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do." Israel made the same foolish promise at Sinai. Thousands are making it in our day, people who have given up Christianity and gone back to Judaism.

The grace of God blesses us with countless blessings. Even so, not all our health problems will disappear. Paul learned this when he prayed for relief from his "thorn in the flesh"… The lame feet also show that the flesh remains in us while we live on earth. However, someone has well observed that when Mephibosheth ate at David's table, his feet would be out of sight under the table. So long as we are honestly enjoying communion with the Lord Jesus, the flesh will not show itself.