Carried to the table

I was at Target this morning and heard a woman, one aisle over, ask a store employee, "Where are the Christmas M&Ms?" The employee told her and next thing I knew I heard this crash, then a sound like the world was rainin' M&Ms! I peered around the corner and M&Ms were everywhere! The employee just stood there drop jawed, and the sweet woman looked over at her and said, "All I wanted was a bag of M&Ms."

We all had a good laugh but as I picked up my last fews items, I thought...yes, that's right. How often in life do we look at a situation and say, "But all I wanted was [fill in the blank]," and yet life gave you much more than you bargained for. Sometimes in good ways, and sometimes not.

Sunday morning, Lloyd (one of Fellowship's ministers) delivered a life changing lesson for me. (You can listen to it in it's entirety here, it should be uploaded by tomorrow.) Lloyd told a familiar story found in 2 Samuel 9, when King David asked, "Is anyone in Saul's family still alive? Anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake?"

A few things Lloyd reminded us of:
1) King Saul had tried to kill David for the better part of 25 years, and this after the Lord had anointed David to be king (some kind of training program, huh?)
2) When kings came to power in that era, it was common for them to kill every last possible heir to the throne from the previous king's family, thereby eliminating any competition for power
3) David and Jonathan (Saul's son) had been the best of friends, and in 1 Samuel 20:15, David swore to treat Jonathan's family with faithful love

Now, let's pick up in Ch 9 after David has asked the above question. Ziba, servant to David who had also been one of Saul's servants, told David, "Yes, one of Jonathan's sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet."

What does David do? He sends for Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth (which means "shame," btw), and brings him to his home. Now think for a minute, what would you be thinking if you were Mephibosheth? "I am gonna die!" And why wouldn't he think that? That was the custom in those days, for the current king to slay all former predecessors to the throne.

But what does David do?

David tells Jonathan's son and Saul's grandson, "Don't be afraid! (Remember how many times Jesus says that to us in the N.T.? ) I intend to show you kindness...and you will eat with me regularly at the king's table." Four times in the ninth chapter of second Samuel, the Word says that Mephibosheth will eat regularly at the king's table.

It doesn't take us long to see this true story from the Old Testament as a "typology" (a preview or foreshadowing, if you will) of what Christ will do and has done for us. If David represents Christ in this story, who does Mephibosheth represent? Us. You and me.

We deserved death, yet are shown mercy. And not just mercy, but we're invited to the king's table to dine regularly with him. Lloyd summed it up like this: David's kindness to Mephibosheth carried a broken fugitive to the king's table, into the king's family, to possess the king's resources forever. And the same is true for us...

Christ's kindness carries us––broken fugitives––to the King's table, into the King's family, to possess the King's resources forever! I know I'm crippled and there's no way, no matter what I do, that I can get to the King's table on my own. I need the Lord to carry me there.

In her post yesterday, Robin mentioned her word(s) for this year. Mine for 2010 is "Carried." I want to be reminded every day of 2010 that I am crippled without Christ, that I need for Him to carry me to the table (where I don't belong on my own merit), and that there I will drink in His kindness and His presence (swept away by His love and where I'm made whole), and I'm part of His family, and all of His mercy and grace are available to me. Forever. Now that gives me fresh hope for 2010!

We sang a song on Sunday that beautifully illustrates this story and this portrait of Christ's love. You can hear a snippet of it by clicking here [then clicking the top link in the list - "Carried to the Table by Leeland"]. I hope it blesses you as it did me. The lyrics to the song are below, and it's worth the download, if you have an MP3 or iPod.


Blessings in this coming year, and I hope you get much more than you bargained for in a GOOD way, be that rainin' M&Ms or not. And I want to say thank you to all of you friends who meet with us at this table every week, whether you leave a comment or not. It's wonderful to share snippets of life and laughter and faith together. You enrich my journey.

Carried,
Tammy

(pictured with my son as we clowned around at Christmas)

Words to 

Carried to the Table

Wounded and forsaken, I was shattered by the fall 

Broken and forgotten, Feeling lost and all alone 

Summoned by the King, Into the Master’s courts 

Lifted by the Savior, And cradled in His arms 

I was carried to the table, Seated where I don’t belong 

Carried to the table, Swept away by His love 

And I don’t see my brokenness anymore 

When I’m seated at the table of the Lord 

I’m carried to the table, The table of the Lord 

Fighting thoughts of fear, And wondering why He called my name 

Am I good enough to share this cup 

This world has left me lame 

Even in my weakness 

The Savior called my name 

In His Holy presence 

I’m healed and unashamed 

You carried me, my God 

You carried me