God Notices Even A Dead Dog
David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba. They summoned him to appear before David, and the king said to him. . . . “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. . . . He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.” So King David had him brought from Lo Debar. . . .
When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor. . . . “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.”
Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant that you should notice a dead dog like me?”. . . .
So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons. . . . and all members of Ziba’s household were servants of Mephibosheth. And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet.
Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba. They summoned him to appear before David, and the king said to him. . . . “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. . . . He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.” So King David had him brought from Lo Debar. . . .
When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor. . . . “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.”
Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant that you should notice a dead dog like me?”. . . .
So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons. . . . and all members of Ziba’s household were servants of Mephibosheth. And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet.
2 Samuel 9:1-13
“What is your servant that you should notice a dead dog like me?” Those were very telling words! That was a true summary of how Mephibosheth felt about his lot in life. He was the grandson of the first king of Israel, King Saul. HIs father, Jonathan, was next in line to the throne but never became king because of the sins of his grandfather. Both his father, grandfather, and two uncles were all killed on the battlefield in one day. His once-promising family was now a byword in Israel and, to make matters worse, he was lame in both feet. Being lame meant he could never become king. The physical deformity precluded him from ever sitting on the throne.
Physically, emotionally, socially and psychologically, Mephibosheth seemed to be nothing but a wreck -- he saw himself as nothing but “a dead dog!” This was undoubtedly an expression of deep self-abasement. He saw himself as the lowest of the lowest! But, in the eyes of God, he was not a dead dog! God had a plan for his life. God was about to elevate him beyond his expectations! God was about to give Mephibosheth great honor through King David.
God touched the heart of King David and he restored to Mephibosheth all that belonged to his grandfather, Saul. In addition, David gave Mephibosheth the honor of eating at the king’s table just like one of his own sons! In doing this, David kept his covenant promise to his friend Jonathan never to cut off kindness to Jonathan’s family (I Sam. 20:15).
There are times when the circumstances of life might cause us to see ourselves as “dead dogs.” Our once promising future seems to be in tatters and there is simply nothing to look forward to. But we never know what blessings God might have for us just around the corner! God is gracious and merciful. He notices even a “dead dog.” Don’t give up because God might just be about to surprise you. You are very precious to him! God can elevate even “a dead dog!”
Physically, emotionally, socially and psychologically, Mephibosheth seemed to be nothing but a wreck -- he saw himself as nothing but “a dead dog!” This was undoubtedly an expression of deep self-abasement. He saw himself as the lowest of the lowest! But, in the eyes of God, he was not a dead dog! God had a plan for his life. God was about to elevate him beyond his expectations! God was about to give Mephibosheth great honor through King David.
God touched the heart of King David and he restored to Mephibosheth all that belonged to his grandfather, Saul. In addition, David gave Mephibosheth the honor of eating at the king’s table just like one of his own sons! In doing this, David kept his covenant promise to his friend Jonathan never to cut off kindness to Jonathan’s family (I Sam. 20:15).
There are times when the circumstances of life might cause us to see ourselves as “dead dogs.” Our once promising future seems to be in tatters and there is simply nothing to look forward to. But we never know what blessings God might have for us just around the corner! God is gracious and merciful. He notices even a “dead dog.” Don’t give up because God might just be about to surprise you. You are very precious to him! God can elevate even “a dead dog!”