Occasionally, I'll be reading a less familiar passage in my Bible, and a name will arouse my curiosity. Such was the case when I ran across the name "Mephibosheth". As I read, I learned that the young man had a poor self image. The phrase that caught my attention reads:

2 Samuel 9:8 – Mephibosheth fell to the ground before the king. "Should the king show such kindness to a dead dog like me?" he exclaimed. (TLB)

Although Mephibosheth was the grandson of the first king of Israel, he and his family were living in exile. Suddenly, this banished castaway received an unexpected call from the palace where the new king lived. Expecting one more rejection, expecting one more put-down, he nevertheless made himself presentable to meet the king.

Can you imagine his surprise when the king called him by name and said, "Mephibosheth, don't be afraid! I've asked you to come here in order to be kind to you! I want you to live here in the palace with me"?

That's when Mephibosheth fell to the ground before King David and exclaimed, "Should the king show such kindness to a dead dog like me?"

There may be times when we feel like Mephibosheth. Perhaps, unbeknown to those around us, we are struggling with feelings of inferiority and insecurity. God has invited us to come to His palace. Quite possibly, we may identify with Mephibosheth when he said he felt as worthy as a dead dog. But the King of kings has invited us to sit at His table. He has offered to adopt us into His family. Any one of us who receives God's gift of salvation becomes His child — a child of the King!

Prayer: Dear God, thank You for inviting us to become part of Your family. Help us to realize how much You love us — enough to make it possible for us to become one of Your children. Amen.

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