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The freshest of exotic vegetables? Perhaps the choicest meats and wines? Maybe the King dines on the finest baked goods, all sorts of delightful treats. I bet that a King has a 24-course meal for he and those he welcomes to his court, enjoying the luxuries of such a meal all along the way.
I imagine that at a King's Table there are plates of gold and silver, with goblets encrusted with gems to drink from. I see the most expensive of tablecloths, of materials from distant reaches of the earth. The King's chair is, of course, emblazoned with his family crest, more jewels, and it is the largest in the room. Not to mention all the constant entertainment and laughter that would surely be heard around the room coupled with the security of the greatest warriors and knights of the kingdom.
The King's table is one of the greatest luxury, comfort, and festivity. In this story, a person sits at the King's Table who you might not expect.
The King in this story is David, the mighty and favored King who slayed the giant Philistine Goliath, who followed God and trusted in him, the King who would become a great King who all looked to for centuries to come.
The unlikely guest, who we may see as ourselves, is a young man named Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth (me-fib-uh-sheth) is the son of Jonathan, David's best friend and son of the former king, Saul. Mephibosheth is a crippled man, having been severely injured to the point of not being able to use his own feet.
In the world of that day, a King of a new family would rarely welcome family of the former King. In fact, it was not uncommon for all family of that past King to be put to death in order to prevent any uprisings or tyrannical activities.
But when King David heard of Mephibosheth, the crippled son of his best friend, he had compassion, mercy, and joy. He wanted to take this man in to his home and treat him as his own son. In 2 Kings 9, David says to Mephibosheth, "Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather, and you shall eat at my table always."
Mephibosheth had no way to gain such a great seat at the King's Table on his own. He only was allowed because the King showed him grace, love, and kindness. For us, we have no way to earn our way in the presence of Jesus. Yet he still welcomes us to his table, and he says to us, "you shall eat at my table always."
What do you imagine sits on the table of Jesus for us to enjoy? We sit with him everyday, and there is our community with our King, and perhaps one day the physical and very real table of Jesus will be there for us to sit at, as we dine with our King, where he allows us to eat. Always.
Thus we praise and glorify our King, whose kingdom we live in. Seek to bring more to the King's Table. He welcomes all.
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