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Recently, I met with a man from our church who is the father of five children. During our conversation, he spoke of his children and conveyed his enduring desire for their spiritual well-being as children within the covenant community. This man adopted his children from a foreign land, but he does not speak of them as “adopted” children and does not regard himself as the mere provider of their physical needs. Rather, he speaks of them and treats them as his own. They had no earthly father, and he became their father. They had no one to tuck them into bed at night, read to them, pray with them, and kiss them goodnight. Yet he brought them into his home, where he cares for them, nourishes them at his table, cries with them, and prays for them.
In 2 Samuel 9, we learn of David’s kindness to Mephibosheth. When he was 5 years old, Mephibosheth’s father, Jonathan, and his grandfather, Saul, died on Mount Gilboa, and, amidst a hasty flight, Mephibosheth fell and was crippled. Later, David was informed about Mephibosheth, and instead of killing him as was the custom, David spared him and adopted him into h is family. Despite his grandfather’s depravity, Mephibosheth was shown abundant grace on account of his father, the covenant mediator between Saul, the nation’s appointed king, and David, the anointed king of the nation.
Upon arriving at the palace, Mephibosheth fell on his face and acknowledged his lowly estate. David comforted him and told him not to fear. He restored to him all the land of Saul his grandfather, relinquished his grandfather’s servants to him, and seated him at his royal table.
Despite the depraved representation of our forefather, we who are the royal priesthood of God have been reconciled to the Father by the King Himself. We are a “chosen generation” and a “holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9). And though absolutely unworthy to live, we have been adopted by the King and accepted as His true children because of His own sacrifice for us (cf. Eph. 1:5). While we are unworthy to sit as guests at His royal table, He Himself has brought us into His palace as sons and daughters. Though once enemies who, according to our most natural instincts, would have brutally killed the God of all creation (Rom. 5:10), we have been transformed and declared co-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17). “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1).