In Psalm 27, King David asked for “one thing.” He desired to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, to seek His face. In Luke10:41-42, Jesus told Martha that only “one thing” is necessary and that Mary had chosen the “better part.” The great Apostle Paul said, in Phil. 3:13, “one thing I do.” What do these three have in common? They were oblivious of themselves and they went hard after God, they had caught a glimpse of the Almighty and they would never be the same.
I believe that Job finally got it as we see in Job 42:2-6 “I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. 3 You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore, I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 4 Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’ 5 “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. 6 Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.”
Moses got it, boy did he get it...he refused to move without the presence of God and we see in Hebrews 11:24 ff. "By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward."
What did they see that so moved them to lay aside everything and go hard after God? What did Moses, Job, Paul and Mary see, how did they see when they were surrounded by others that could not see?
There is another who could see, he has a similar heartbeat as these, less known, you might just say, down right obscure, but he is worth the effort, because I believe he helps answer the question “how did they see?”
Throughout 2 Samuel we learn of Jonathan’s crippled son Mephibosheth. David learned of Mephibosheth as he sought heirs of the household of Saul so that he could “show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake.” Mephibosheth came before David bowed down and said, “What is your servant that you take an interest in a dead dog like me?” David restored Saul’s land to Mephibosheth and he was invited to eat at the King’s table, as did the King’s sons.
Fast forward to 2 Samuel 19, the kingdom is being restored to David after the rebellion of Absalom. In verses, 24-30, through Mephibosheth I believe God reveals the heart HE desires. It may be clearer here, but it is still mysteriously hard to see. Even stranger is that once you see it clearly it can be slippery and difficult to hold on to.
We pick up in the middle of the story. In 2 Samuel 16:1-4, David and his entourage are fleeing from Absalom and Ziba meets David with supplies for his family. Ziba tells David the reason Mephibosheth stayed behind was because he thought he would receive control of the Kingdom, in response David gives Mephibosheth’s land to Ziba.
Now after Absalom dies David encounters Mephibosheth as he is returning to Jerusalem. David asked Mephibosheth why he did not go with him, Mephibosheth explained that he was deceived and then slandered by his servant Ziba. Now hearing Mephibosheth’s side of the story David is faced with two conflicting reports, so he decides to divide the land between Mephibosheth and Ziba.
I don’t know about you, but my first thought was…that’s not fair! The amazing thing is Mephibosheth’s heart toward David is revealed. His response is amazing and convicting! “Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home.” Mephibosheth cares nothing for his material possessions, he gladly parts with them, let Ziba “take it all.” “Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home.”
Here is a man who lost his father and grandfather at the age of five, at the same time he was crippled for life. He lives in fear for his life until he is found by David and invited to eat with the King. Now he is falsely accused of betraying the one he loves. His life is filled with tragedy and yet you detect no bitterness, no thought of himself, to the contrary he is oblivious of himself, he is only delighted to see the King safely home. HIS WHOLE HEART IS TOWARD THE KING! His whole heart is focused on “one thing.”
As the Holy Spirit opened my understanding to the heart attitude of Mephibosheth I had to ask myself, would I be so quick to let Ziba take it all? I fell under heavy conviction because I saw that my first reaction is often self-preservation…I want to defend myself.
I wanted to see from God’s word how Mephibosheth came to love King David so deeply. I was hopeful that if a man could love a king with such devotion and passion that the Holy Spirit could enable me to love JESUS, my LORD and Savior even more!
There are several vital heart attitudes revealed in this passage that God the Holy Spirit USES to enable me to say, “let him take it all.” I confess that I was cowering in my spirit as I said it…it was only by the power of the Holy Spirit that I could say it, and I have to continually cry out for HIS power to walk, live and breathe in this sweet Spirit filled place… “but one thing I do.”
Here we see the essence of the heart attitude of Mephibosheth toward King David, this is how he saw the King:
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A heart filled with awe for the King… “my lord the king is like the angel of God” v. 27
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Absolute surrender to the will and wisdom of the King… “do whatever you think best” v. 27b
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Amazed at the King’s grace… our “entire family deserves death…but you set your servant among those who eat at your table” v. 28
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Understanding that we have no rights or claims… “what further rights do I have…?” v. 28
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Profound sense of unworthiness… “What is your servant, that you should regard a dead dog like me?” (2 Sam. 9:8)
I believe that this is how David, Mary, Paul, Job, and the others saw King Jesus and this is how we will see HIM. It is through spiritual brokenness, understanding that our debt to God is infinite, we are worse than dead dogs before the King of kings. I am slowly learning that there are many things that suck the passion and energy for God out of our spirits. In my limited experience, nothing can make me more anemic, emaciated, sickly, and weak than when I am filled with thoughts about ME! There are a number of things that can hurt our ministry for the LORD JESUS, there are many things that can render us useless in the ministry, there are many things that can leave us spiritually weak; a root causes of all of this is a lack of deep brokenness and humility. While I was rereading The Calvary Road (Hession) and Brokenness (Nancy Leigh DeMoss) I was reminded that when I feel that I deserve something better the effect is spiritual weakness and an erosion for my love of Jesus.
“Martha was distracted with much serving.” How sad to have King Jesus in your home and to be distracted! How sad to have HIM dwell within you and me and to live distracted lives!
Praise God there are those days when circumstances may be crashing all around and yet HIS peace reigns supreme! There are those days that start out with an understanding of absolute brokenness, filled with the precious and wonderful Holy Spirit, running the race like David, Mary and Paul…pursuing “one thing!” Pursuing King Jesus!
We are all dead dogs, we have been loved, we have been placed at the King’s table, received his grace and his tender mercies. The way to avoid spiritual weakness and the loss of love is by following Mephibosheth, fixing our eyes on Jesus in admiration, yielding to His wisdom and will, constantly amazed at His grace, having no rights and saying “Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home.”
A dead dog,
Mark