Tag Archives: Mephibosheth

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Mortimer Mouse?

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“‘As for Mephibosheth,’ said the king, ‘he shall eat at my table like one of the king’s sons.'” —2 Samuel 9:11

Maybe you have had some serious setbacks in life. As a child, you were mistreated, neglected, abused, or even forgotten. You, like so many kids today, were just left to yourself. Maybe people haven’t given you much hope; you’ve been written off by your parents and teachers.

The Bible tells the story of a young man named Mephibosheth, who literally was dropped in life (2 Samuel 9). His grandfather was King Saul and his father was Prince Jonathan. After they had been killed in battle, in her haste to hide him, his nurse dropped little Mephibosheth, who was only five, and as a result he lost the use of his legs.

She feared that the king-elect, David, would seek him out and kill him, as was the custom of kings of that time. But later King David, who ascended to the throne, sought Mephibosheth out and welcomed him as a member of his own family to live in the palace.

It reminds us of how Jesus reached out to us and calls us to be a part of His family. I have some good news for you today! God specializes in taking people who have been “dropped in life” and picking them back up again!

I read about how as a young man Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper. When Disney asked why, they responded, “Walt, you’re not creative enough. You never have any new ideas. We’re sorry, but we’re going to have to let you go.” Disney got dropped in life.

So, he moved to California, borrowed $500 and started a graphic arts company. Shortly after, he came up with a little character he named Mortimer Mouse, later to become Mickey Mouse, and the rest is history.

You can’t control what happens to you in life. But you have everything to say about how you react. Perhaps that setback in life can help you move forward like never before.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Living in Lo-debar

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“As for Mephibosheth,” said the king, “he shall eat at my table like one of the king’s sons.” . . . So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king’s table. And he was lame in both his feet. —2 Samuel 9:11,13

The Bible tells us that when David sought out Jonathan’s son to show him kindness, Mephibosheth was living in an out-of-the-way place called Lo-debar. The name actually means “the place of no pasture.” You didn’t want to live in Lo-debar. It was a dry, parched, crummy place to live.

But where were we when Jesus Christ found us? We were living in Lo-debar, a parched, dried-up place. And just like David sought out Mephibosheth, Jesus Christ sought us. It is worth noting that it was not Mephibosheth who looked for David; it was David who looked for Mephibosheth. That might not seem significant, but it really is. David wanted to have a relationship with him. We read in 2 Samuel 9:5, “So David sent for [Mephibosheth] and brought him from Makir’s home]” (NLT). David was persistent. He would not give up on Mephibosheth.

This is a reminder to us that we need to reach out to our friends, neighbors, and even enemies who don’t know Christ. They don’t realize it, but they are living in Lo-debar. They are living in a parched place — separated from God. So we need to ask God to place an urgency in our hearts. We all know people who need someone to reach out to them. That is exactly what David did. And that is what we need to do.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Dropped  

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David said, “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” —2 Samuel 9:1

Mephibosheth was only five years old when his father, Jonathan, and his grandfather, Saul, were killed on the battlefield. Imagine, if you will, life as he had known it up to this point. The privilege and potential of his pampered life as a prince could not have prepared him for the hard life he would face in the future. There was life in the palace as a young prince, with people waiting on him hand and foot, and he was being raised by his godly father, Jonathan. Life was good for this young boy.

But there were dark clouds gathering in his world. In one moment, through no fault of his own, his entire life would change forever. Jonathan knew things were going to change. That is why he persuaded David to make an agreement to look out for his descendants. He made David promise to show kindness to his family forever. David willingly made that promise—and he kept it.

When news hit the palace that Saul and Jonathan had been killed on the battlefield, the nurse who was caring for Mephibosheth, in her frenzied state, dropped this little boy on the ground. As a result, he was crippled for life.

Perhaps you have gone through hardships in your childhood. Maybe something traumatic has happened to you. You have been dropped in life, so to speak. You wonder if anything good can come out of your life.

Mephibosheth was dropped in life, but God intervened. In fact, God specializes in taking people who have been dropped and picking them up again. That is just what David did for Mephibosheth. And that is just what God will do for you.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013