A Place for All Children

“So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons.”  (2 Samuel 9:11)

Mephibosheth was the son of David’s best friend, Jonathan, and grandson to King Saul.  David had made a covenant with his friend Jonathan which extended to Jonathan’s descendants, as well.  In a covenant relationship, the two men pledged to protect and extend provision to one another and any of their descendants.  David loved Jonathan like a brother, and upon discovering Jonathan’s death, David searched for any surviving relatives.  Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s disabled son, is whom King David found.  David not only showed kindness to Mephibosheth, but he restored to his friend’s son all the land that belonged to his grandfather, King Saul, provided servants to work the land, and declared that Mephibosheth would always eat “at David’s table like one of the king’s sons”. 

This man who in that day and age would have been a beggar on the streets due to a physical disability was seated with honor at King David’s table as a royal heir to the covenant shared between his father and David.  This is a beautiful picture of how God views our special children who are often excluded from society.  Our children are to be seated with the King and treated as royalty, with honor and dignity.  God made a covenant with us through his son Jesus, and that covenant includes our children.  The church is to model this covenant and honor our children in seating them at the table with their typical peers.  For churches who claim to have a place for “all children”, I challenge you to make a place for your Mephibosheths.  Make them feel valued as co-heirs with Christ to the Royal Priesthood of Believers.  Then, and only then, are you truly a home for “all children” who live in your communities.

Lord, help our churches to prepare a place for all our children regardless of ability because we are all heirs through Christ Jesus to the mercy and grace you have provided to us as your covenant children.