The King's Table

I just got done fixing my lunch~a hot ham and cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread. Now that might sound kind of ordinary and boring to most folks, but it’s pretty great for me. Living in China, “ordinary” foods are not always available. I can remember 7 years ago when you couldn’t buy cheese or sandwich meat. Whole wheat bread is even a new development! You might have only found cheese at an expensive foreigner banquet for dignitaries or special foreign guests and you’d need to know someone to get an invitation to such an event.

I was reading 2 Samuel 9 today, which was the story of King David and his decision to care for any living relatives from the house of Saul, David’s former enemy. There was one crippled son of Jonathan named Mephibosheth, still living in a far away place called Lo Debar. King David told a servant go get Mephibosheth and bring him to the palace as a gesture of good will for Jonathan’s sake. Poor Mephibosheth! He must’ve been terrified to think that he was being summoned to King David’s palace, especially knowing the history between David and his grandfather, King Saul. In fact, his grandfather had repeatedly tried to kill King David and prevent him from taking the throne. Undoubtedly, Mephibosheth knew that the common protocol of the day was to kill all the living relatives of the former King, but he had no choice...he had to go to the palace to face the music. Instead of getting the hatchet, Mephibosheth was invited to eat at King David’s table for the rest of his life. Even though Mephibosheth was poor, crippled and had an infamous lineage, he was treated as a son of the King.

Sometimes I feel like a Mephibosheth. I am poor. As a language student I don’t have a regular job that helps me pay the bills or buy the groceries. I am dependent on the kindness of others and more importantly on the goodness of the one I call King. I am in many areas “crippled” and undeserving of an invitation to eat at the King’s table on a daily basis, but He in His grace makes that invitation to me every day! He provides everything I need and then some. He allows me the blessing of His company and freely offers me things that I could never obtain myself. In His presence I am not regarded as unworthy, poor, crippled, or outcast. I am a daughter of the King and as such entitled to all the benefit that go with the title.

When I focus on who I am in the eyes of the King, I am overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude and peace. I can daily pull myself up to the bounty that He affords me and thank Him...not only for who He is, for His love and provision for me, but also for this delicious hot ham cheese on whole wheat...which I am about to eat!