This pic was taken on my iPhone from atop Diamond Head, Honolulu, Hawaii

I Samuel 9

Jesus tells a parable of a slave who is deeply indebted to the king. He can never repay him. The king determined to sell the slave and his family to cover some of the debt. But the man pleads for his life and the master forgives all his debt. The slave left forgiven but went out and found another slave who owed him a small amount. He grabbed him by the throat and threatens to throw him in prison. This slave also pleads for his life, but the previously forgiven slave refuses to forgive and throws the slave in prison. The king heard of the situation and called the forgiven slave back in. He said to him, “You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your follow slave in the same way I had mercy on you?” The king then sent him to prison. Jesus summarizes the parable by saying, “My Heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” Yikes, that’s harsh. I guess this forgiveness stuff is pretty important to God.

Covenant keeper

I’m reminded of this parable after reading I Samuel 9 because although we are about to see some of a David’s most deplorable sins in the coming chapters, nevertheless, he does have a heart for God. The best thing David has going for him is not what he does but that he is forgiven. He is forgiven and he is grateful. God made a covenant with him and God is going to be 100% faithful to his Covenant. David and Jonathan made a covenant that they would care for each other’s descendants for life. Saul is dead, and Jonathan is dead, and it would be easy for David to just move on. It would be more customary for David to kill all the male descendants of Saul, his enemy, so that they wouldn’t someday rise against David. Instead, according to the covenant he made with Jonathan (and following God’s example of a faithful covenant keeper), David seeks out Saul’s descendants to bless them. David said in v3, “Is there yet anyone of the house of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God?” Notice, his intent is to show the kindness of GOD to the descendent of his enemy.

Now that’s ridiculous

Turns out there is only one descendent still alive; A son of Jonathan, Mephibosheth, who is crippled in both feet. David doesn’t just show him kindness, he gives him all of Saul’s former land, servants and wealth. Additionally, David invited Mephibosheth to regular eat at the king’s table alongside David’s own sons. Even though Jonathan was dead and David could’ve completely forgotten about the covenant, he didn’t.  Instead, he showed the “kindness of God” to him. By the way, God has extended to us a high level of kindness, if we humbly accept Him. God’s eternal level of kindness and forgiveness toward us is ridiculously over the top!!! Let us also forgive and love others ridiculously over the top!!! Amen