I’M MOTIVATED
Opening Prayer
“Examine me, O God, and know my mind; test me, and dis-cover my thoughts” (Psa. 139:23, GNB).
Read 2 Samuel 8:15; 9:1–13
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
15 David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people. 16 Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; 17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was secretary; 18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.
David and Mephibosheth
9 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.
12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mika, and all the members of Ziba’s household were servants of Mephibosheth. 13 And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What do you think God might see when he looks into the depths of your soul today?Nice guy, that David—full of love and faithfully keeping his promise to look after Jonathan’s family (1 Sam. 20:14,15). All straightforward; or is it? If David were asking you the question in 9:1, what would you think is his motive behind it? Straightforward kindness?
For instance, why does it take David so long to remember Jonathan’s family? Does he just want to get Saul’s northern tribes back on his side? Does he want to show the nation he’s Mr. Nice Guy and make sure of popular support? Sometimes we question our own motives as Christians.
In my early 20s I recall wrestling often with the thought that maybe I wasn’t a Christian after all—that I was just trying to be good and kind and do the things Christians do. The Lord reassured me that I’d definitely said yes to Jesus and that the Holy Spirit was changing me.
Every Christian has mixed motives, as David may have had. That shouldn’t stop us doing great things for the Gospel.
Apply
Is there something that God has been prompting you to do? Choose to do it today, regardless of feelings or possible mis-construed motives.
Closing prayer
God, when You look into my soul, I pray that above all You see the righteousness of Christ.
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