✝ Daily Encouragement (1/24/23) “A Dead Rat"
Published: Tue, 01/24/23
A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber.
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Tuesday, January 24, 2023
We will one day gather at the Wedding Supper of the Lamb in heaven. Jesus told the disciples at the Last Supper,
"I tell you, I will not
drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom" (Matthew 26:29).
"A Dead
Rat"
Message summary:
We rightly despair at our hopeless condition apart from Christ's redemption. But what glorious hope we have in
Christ!
Listen
to our message on your audio
player.
"David asked, 'Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?'" (2
Samuel 9:1). Mephibosheth bowed down and said, "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?" (2 Samuel 9:8). "So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king's table. Now he was lame in both his feet" (2 Samuel
9:13).
Today let's explore the story of one who would be described in our day as one with a physical disability. Mephibosheth is among our favorite
lesser known Bible characters. Dropped as a very small child he was "lame in both feet". His story is told in 2 Samuel 9 and, if you're not familiar with his life, you may need to read this entire chapter and some study material about him. Today's message is only a
summarization.
He had a lot more than his share of problems and was now the sole surviving member of Saul's family with David as the king. His personal esteem
couldn’t sink any lower as he saw the importance of his life to be no more than that of a "dead dog". Since dogs were not valued by the Hebrew culture (in the sense we do as pets) this self-description packs a double whammy, kind of like me referring to myself as "a dead
rat".
But David models the love and kindness of God when he sought Mephibosheth out and made a place at the King's table for him,
"like one of the king's sons", not just for the evening but for the rest of his life. He gave him land and appointed servants that provided for his needs. This is an excellent illustration of generosity and grace exhibited in the Old Testament.Many of you may not be able to identify with Mephibosheth at all. Life for you has been pretty good. Most importantly you have an assurance of God's love and a network of family and caring people around you. We encourage you to consider others who may need a lift today by your expression of personal interest, your gesture of kindness and generosity, or your effort to communicate in such a way that the person with the disability doesn't feel less valued than others in society. David so powerfully illustrates God's grace in the fact that he didn't wait for Mephibosheth to cross his path, but actually made the necessary effort to locate him and then chose to personally bless him. How can you demonstrate that grace today to one who might be regarded as among "the least of these"? There are others of you who readily identify with Mephibosheth. Life's always been hard and you’ve wondered when and if things will ever flow smoothly. It's been one hard blow after another and you could reckon the value of your own life as that of a "dead dog" or "dead rat". You question in your mind, "Does anyone love me? Does anyone really care?" And here you are reading this message. God wants you to hold onto this unchanging truth that is filled with eternal hope: God loves you and He cares about you. The fact is, apart from the love and mercy of God, everyone of us are as "dead rat". John Newton put it this way, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!" Or as the hymn "I Stand Amazed In The Presence" expresses it, "a sinner, condemned, unclean". "At The Cross" has these words, "Would He devote that sacred head for such a worm as I?" We rightly despair at our hopeless condition apart from Christ's redemption. But what glorious hope we have in Christ! He calls us to endure the temporal difficulties while living our lives here on earth, but He also invites us to enjoy the eternal delights of living our lives in heaven. He has saved the best for last, but that’s OK because that’s where we’ll be forever and always, long after the troubles of this life have faded from view! I'm sure glad it's not the other way around, though, for those who choose not to enter the kingdom of God, it surely is!
Be encouraged today, (
Hebrews
3:13)
Stephen and Brooksyne
Weber
Daily prayer:
Father, there is much that we don’t understand on this side; why some go through life seemingly with ease and little trouble, and others seem to be born with trouble that never goes away. It is not for us to understand Your ways for You are a God of mystery with greater purpose than we can comprehend, and yet You have made clear to us through Scripture that which we are to understand. Some
of the very trouble we seek to avoid is that which brings us to faith and causes us to live a life that is honoring to You and purposeful to others. Keep our hearts sensitive and compassionate toward those who are undervalued by the world’s standards. When we put ourselves in their place, we identify with their struggles and feel the deep hurt they experience when looked down upon and rejected by others. May we be Your tender arm of compassion and Your gentle voice of acceptance with
unconditional love. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Context of today's passage:
2 Samuel
9
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version. Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity." © Copyright 2023 Stephen C. & Brooksyne Weber - All Rights Reserved
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Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
717-823-0592
Daily Encouragement Net
https://www.dailyencouragement.net
Mail service provider is aweber.com
495 Kraybill Church Rd
Mount Joy PA 17552
USA
Unsubscribe | Change Subscriber Options