Leaving Lo-debar

By Donna McMorrow

The story of David and Mephibosheth is a short but meaningful story found in 2 Samuel. It is an account of the kindness, mercy and grace that a king had for a disabled man—the same kindness, mercy and grace that the King of Kings has for us. Let’s take a look.

Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan and the grandson of King Saul, the first king of Israel. When King Saul and his sons died in battle, David, of David and Goliath fame, became the new king. During that time, it was not uncommon for rulers to kill the relatives of the previous king to eliminate their competitors and further establish their claim to the throne. When Mephibosheth’s nurse heard that David would be the new king, she picked five-year-old Mephibosheth up and fled with him to save his life. Unfortunately, during the chaos, she dropped Mephibosheth, and his legs were permanently damaged, making him unable to walk.

Fifteen years go by and  Mephibosheth, now a man, was still hiding from the king in a town called Lo-debar—“the place of no pasture”—and still dreading a knock on his door. During his life, Mephibosheth went from prince to servant, from the lushness of the palace to a land of desolation, from wholeness to disabled, from security to fear. He expected to die on the sword of the king. Read 2 Samuel 9:1-13.

When Mephibosheth met David, he fell flat on his face in submission and recognition of his tenuous situation, feeling like he was worth no more than a dead dog. However, Mephibosheth was restored by the anointed king. He was invited to dine at the king’s table, to share the king’s bread, and to sit in the place of the king’s sons.

Instead of living in the place of no pasture, Mephibosheth now lived in Jerusalem, the king’s city, the city of peace. He was no longer a helpless and poor, disabled man hiding in fear. He was a wealthy and powerful man who enjoyed daily access to the king.

Mephibosheth is a picture of you and me, sinners hiding and running from God and exiled in the wasteland of Lo-debar. We do not walk the way that we should. We know that someday we, too, will have to face the King.

But the merciful Father rescued us through His Son, Jesus. We were suddenly removed from Lo-debar and invited to the city of peace. We were made rich in Jesus and brought to the banquet table in the house of the King, no longer orphaned and lonely and having direct access to the King.

Mephibosheth continued to be lame in both feet, but now his feet were under the king’s table. I invite you to leave Lo-debar and place your crippled feet under the table of the King of Kings.

Donna McMorrow and her husband have been married for 41 years. She is a retired special education teacher, adoptive parent, cancer survivor and child of the King. In her free time, she enjoys reading, photography and painting.