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I WAS, Not Forgotten

by Shannon Heiden  
11/28/2008 / Devotionals


I was eyes to the blind.
I WAS FEET TO THE LAME.
I was a father to the needy;
I took up the case of a stranger.
Job 29:15

Then the king said, "Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?" And Ziba said to the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet." Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. So David said to him, "Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness and you shall eat bread at my table continually." Then he bowed himself, and said,
"What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?" 2 Samuel 9:1-13

It was a day like no other, he was scrambling on his arms, pulling his twisted legs behind him, dragging his lame body to the usual spot. Maybe today he would win favor with someone, maybe someone would glance his way, maybe they might even say a word to him, but to be honest, the favor was slim and the days were long and many never even saw him. Sometimes he would just sleep by the side of the road, other times he would just play with the rocks...

There wasn't a day that went by though, that he was not reminded of his weakness and limitations. There was not a day that went by that he could forget that at one time, he wasn't like this. He remembered much better days.
He remembered a family he once had, they loved him, they cared for him and at one time he wasn't sitting so low, he once was seated in high places, in fact, there was a day, that if he wanted to, he could walk to those places because his legs once stood and his feet took him anywhere his heart desired.....

But those days are long gone, the feet that once stood are now lame, and the heart that once hoped and dreamed, is now broken and dimmed-as for the family he once had, they are all gone and the memory is dulled by the ache in his heart of "only what if...."

Beautiful One, Can you see him? Can you put yourself in his shoes, if he even had any? Can you see him being dropped as a little boy, his fall left him crippled and lame, it was no fault of his own. Can you see him sitting on his grandfathers lap, being told stories of the kingdom?
Can you see his father Jonathan, walking with him, holding him close, loving him? Can you imagine what it must be like to be reminded of what could've been? But instead, you're forced to face what is and as the world passes you by, the only thing in your life that stands, is time itself.

You feel all but forgotten and your closest ally is called weakness and pain.....

But, there was another man, a man who was just like you and I. He was a man who despite his own weaknesses and failures, he was a man after Gods own heart.

David, in all of his successes was also a man who had plenty of failures. David was a man who knew what it was to be hated and rejected, he knew what it was to be falsely accused, he knew what the inside of a cave looked like all to well. Anointed by God himself as a young boy to be king over Israel, this man, from the day he stepped forward to slay a giant, won nothing more than hardship, calamity and aggression.

David, had won the bread of being envied with a passion and he was forced to live his life on the run, his very life was in danger, he had to fight off the temptation to curse his enemy king Saul, who for the most part made his life a living hell.

But what I love about Davids life, is that inasmuch adversity and brokenness as David experienced, God always made sure to show this man kindness, I believe Gods goodness to David allowed David to keep pressing through those hard times. We hear of Davids cry unto the Lord many times in the Psalms and if you look carefully you see that when he starts to cry out, he always comes back to Gods favor, blessing and kindness, always...

I often think of what it must have been like for David to know without a shadow of a doubt that he was called, anointed and destined to be the man God told him he would be, but living like a vagabond, depending on the generosity and favor of others when he was homeless and on the run, even fearful, must have caused him to ponder many a moment.

And it was in those moments God's voice and goodness must've reigned over any doubt and confusion and ultimately Gods decree came to pass over David's life.....

And it was in this place of favor, blessing and prosperity that David and this lame mans path came to cross. It was at an intersection called "grace," that David and this lame man"methshibopeth"met. Royalty reaching out to rags, and the rag man who was laying by the side of the road yesterday, is now a highly favored man today....

Beautiful One, I believe that the very reason David was called a man after Gods own heart was because David remembered the poor, he remembered the lame and no matter what had been done to him by this mans lineage, David was a man that kept his word and he showed it through his heart. David remembered his love for Jonathan, he remembered what it was like to have had no one to turn to, he remembered those dark times when he was hunted like a dog, when his name was mud, when he was hungry, cold and when he had to depend on the very help and generosity of another to see him through.

David remembered what it felt like to feel forgotten and lost, he remembered the days that were better than what he had to face for a time, but most importantly David remembered; had it not been for the Lord who was on his side, he would have never made it to where he was. David remembered the Lord and HIS kindness and David made sure to extend the very mercy and kindness he had received and he lavishly poured it out onto another.....

David truly was a man after Gods own heart....

For God does not look at our outward appearance, He looks at each mans heart and Beautiful One, I am wondering, what does He see when he looks at ours?

There is someone out there within our reach, within our realm, our close vicinity who is all twisted and bent up, they are bound and tied up, they are broken hearted, they have no one to help them, maybe they were dropped by those who loved them, maybe those who could've caught them, didn't....

David, didn't analyze to see if this man should be helped, he didn't look at how much he deserved it or didn't. David didn't look at this mans weakness, his disheveled appearance or how much adversity his family had brought on him. He saw the man himself, he saw his worth as a Child of God, and it wasn't even Davids intention to show him his kindness, for out of his own mouth, David said the most worthy thing of all; "Is there not anyone left In Saul's house whom I may show Gods kindness to?"

It is by Gods kindness that we all have made it to where we are and by His same kind we will go further, but we must remember that there is someone who cannot see what we do, there is someone out there who is lame, maybe they were dropped, nevertheless they have fallen but you and I can be the very arms that raise them up and you and I can be the voice of Gods kindness that whispers the words they so long to hear-

You Are Not Forgotten......

Beautiful One, at one time in each of our lives we were lame in our walk, we were stumbling around, all bent and twisted up, haven't we all have been dropped by others, circumstances and life? How many times have our heads hung low in our hands and with heavy hearts and tear stained faces have we wondered "what if?" But God lifted our heads- He dried those tears;

He made room at the table for dead dogs like us.......

Beautiful One, I want to encourage you with this; you don't have to be a king to extend Gods kindness, you don't have to be prepared or polished to remember another..

All you have to do is remember the kindness of a Savior; He gave your blinded eyes their sight, He took up your case when you were a stranger, He was a Father in your need and He was feet when you were lame. All you need is to remember his kindness that has brought you to the place where you can now say;

I Am Not Forgotten......

Beautiful One, Just Believe and Is There Someone Who You May Show Gods Kindness To?

Shannon Heiden
[email protected]
changingonelifereachingmany.typepad.com

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