Mephibosheth’s Fall
Life is filled with events that can leave us bruised, battered and beaten. In his famous song- Bobby McFerrin advised us not to worry and be happy, but smiling through the pain is easier sung than done. One of the greatest examples of a man triumphing over tragedy is mentioned in only eight chapters of the Bible. Some might even say that he is a “forgotten” character. Although his role seems small, the impact of his life guides us to one of the greatest restoration stories in Biblical history. His name is Mephibosheth. 2 Samuel 4:4, “Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became disabled. His name was Mephibosheth.”
Mephibosheth is the son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul (2 Samuel 4:4). At the tender age of five he learned that his father and grandfather died on Mount Gilboa. Mephibosheth’s nurse, in response to this grievous disaster swiftly grabbed the child and left the royal residence of Gibea. In the rush of things young Mephibosheth was somehow thrown to the ground resulting with the very dramatic outcome of him being lame forever in both feet (19:26). He was carried to the house of Machir in the land of Gilead at Lo-debar where he was raised. Many years after this horrendous event when David had conquered all the adversaries of Israel, he began to think of the family of his dear friend Jonathan. He passionately searched and finally found the last member of Jonathan’s household. David sent his royal messengers to fetch Mephibosheth and his son, Mica to come to Jerusalem where he received a great inheritance and a restoration that changed his world forever (2 Samuel 9).
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The mystery of life presented itself at an early stage of Mephibosheth’s thwarted beginnings. Can you imagine being the tender age of five where innocence and joy are at its peak and it all being brutally ripped from underneath you with the sudden news that your Father and Grandfather have brutally died? Then not long after receiving this devastating news an accident steals your ability to walk indefinitely? One could think of the daunting words of Morpheus when speaking to Neo in the Matrix, “Welcome to the real world“. Mephibosheth is now in Lo-Debar. Lo-Debar means “no pasture,”(2 Samuel 17:27) “no word” or “no communication”. The now estranged Mephibosheth is orphaned and in many ways forgotten.
Mephibosheth’s fall is that which causes an ailment not easily healed. While I cannot relate to the hurt he experienced during his time as a child, I can relate to his disastrous fall. As a 23 year old graduate student in Columbia, SC I strove to be the best in everything. I traveled to Belize to help children in inner city schools and prayed daily for God to make His plan clear for my life. I escaped a few weeks to Italy to study art and culture. I explored the streets of London and recorded an original song in the professional studios of the talented Dan Priddy. I was constantly volunteering at various events and even joined a church where I became one of the key singers for Sunday services. I worked up to three jobs, got my dream car (Audi A4) and spent a great deal of money on clothes and many other material possessions. At one point, I even made the decision to move from the states to Santiago, Chile where I learned Spanish fluently. My life seemed glorious on the outside but on the inside I struggled with what seemed to be an inescapable emptiness. No matter how many things I added on to my schedule or how successful I was, the gratification of those completed tasks lasted but a moment in comparison to how empty and purposeless my life really was. I am not sure if Mephibosheth could see that he was about to fall, but I definitely noticed that I would soon hit rock bottom. Loneliness and insecurity gripped a hold of me each and every night. I remember lying down on my bed after a long day of work and crying tears and tears because I felt that insignificant. This unresolved sadness led me to suicidal thoughts and much impurity.
Giving into the impurity was the fall that crippled my relationship with God and others for the greater part of my early twenties. I was not honest with who I was. I never got open with my struggles. I was in my personal Lo-Debar, a place of no pasture and no communication where I felt completely alone. The most deceptive thought I had at this stage of my life was that God had no plan for my life, He was disappointed in me and that my life was indeed insignificant.
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As time moved on I was urged by some friends to move to Chile to fulfill my dream of learning Spanish as a second language. I used this as an opportunity to turn my life around and seek after God by giving up what I was comfortable with. I wrote a song called, “I Surrender” to emphasize that I was giving everything up to do things right for God. I planned to be in Chile for only six months. When the time came close for me to pack things up and leave, I once again felt the overwhelming feeling of insignificance. I realized that my confidence was in what I could do to change my situation for God instead of in what He had already done to help me live a life of righteousness. My hope was not built on the Scriptures and once again I fell flat on my face. My immediate thought was that I had left everything to follow God and ended up back where I started. I was once again in Lo-Debar. What an incredibly hopeless place to be.
One day, I set out to pray while in Chile. I found a bench in the park near a busy intersection and began to pray. I may have fallen asleep a little, but I am pretty sure God heard my prayer because as soon as I was finished something amazing happened. A woman approached me as I stood up to leave and asked if I spoke English. She had walked back and forth waiting for me to finish praying. She invited me to Bible Talk where I met her husband, Matt Sullivan. It was an incredible memory. Their apartment was filled with people. There was food and everyone was so welcoming and friendly. We ate and talked about the life of a disciple. It was then that I knew God was picking me up from my mighty fall. That same week I visited a church service on Sunday and began to study the Bible. I studied each day earnestly looking for God’s truth in the Scriptures and after daily studies and many tears; I was baptized the next Sunday.
Great restoration is a gift only given by God. An amazing miracle is displayed in the life of Mephibosheth when he comes face to face with the newly established King David. “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table” (2 Samuel 9:7). After many days, months and even years in Lo-Debar, the place of no pasture, God had not forgotten Mephibosheth.
It is refreshing to know that God has not forgotten about us even when we are at our lowest moments (Psalm 139:8). Maybe you have fallen into a deep dark place of despair and faithlessness. Perhaps death to a relative/friend, loss of a job, lack of money or hopelessness that you will ever meet the perfect spouse has led you to a place where you’ve fallen beyond the reach of mere man. In Lo-Debar, only God can step in and restore us to a place where joy is exceeded. This can happen if we commit to living life according to His word and not in response to what may have caused our great fall. I find comfort in the fact that God has created us with such great care and concern showing that He loves us beyond our circumstances. He knows all of our needs. One remembers the intimate 139th Psalm, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb” (v.13). How intricate the love of our Father is. In the secret place where no Doctor or Scientist can ever go, God is there and is attentively knitting us into a wonderfully made creation (v.14).
Let us strive to put our hope in Him through every situation, no matter how tragic the event.
To God be the glory,
Devon Hairston (Deacon of Administration & North Region Leader)
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