2nd Samuel 4
4 (Saul’s son Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth,[b] who was crippled as a child. He was five years old when the report came from Jezreel that Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle. When the child’s nurse heard the news, she picked him up and fled. But as she hurried away, she dropped him, and he became crippled.)
For the sake of context, you should know that King Saul's death changes everything, not only for Israel but also for Saul’s family. With Saul dying and David now coming into the throne, the expectation will be that David will begin the process of executing all of Saul’s family, and descendants in order to better establish his reign over the kingdom. This tradition, although gruesome, is culturally acceptable and is the expectation for any king taking over a throne that he did not inherit through his family. For this reason, Mephibosheth's caretaker is fearfully and understandably so, running for their lives in light of the new transfer of power that’s taking place. Who can blame her? To the world this fearful act of retreat would be considered wise and prudent to anyone in her situation. Except for one crucial mistake, Mephibosheth’s nurse has no relationship with David. Therefore, doesn’t know that Mephibosheth is actually safer in the hands of the new and gracious King David than he is in the hands of his fearful nurse. As the story goes, the nurse's unwillingness to trust the king with Mephibosheth’s life, results in him becoming crippled. His growth is stunted, and the nurse's fear transferred into Mephibosheth’s life in the form of shame and brokenness.
It’s a real story of history but also a metaphorical picture. Anything in our lives that we are afraid to trust to our King Jesus is bound to have its growth and health stunted and crippled. Whether it’s our own children, finances, marriage or anything else. Whatever we fearfully try to withhold from God and try to carry in our own strength is exempt from His transformative Grace. Of course, all of us would say with a smile on our face, “I trust God with everything there is nothing I am withholding from Him or trying to carry on my own.”
I understand the sentiment, it’s hard for me to admit when I’m wrong also. But the truth is, trust and surrender are a learned process. No one is able to fully trust anything or anyone without first establishing and then walking through years of relationship. Think about a marriage. Of course, the vows on a wedding day are meaningful and beautiful. But vows on a wedding day are just words until you spend years being married and are given the opportunity to prove what you said and committed to.
Day by day, you have to confront your own fears and insecurities to better love your spouse and prove what you said the day you were married.
Our relationship with Jesus is the same. He is fully committed to us and loves us with an eternal fire, but we are learning to love and trust Him in return. In the same way we have to identify any fear and insecurities in our hearts that keep us from trusting Him.
Anything you fear losing or your heart is uncomfortable not being in control of is probably a place where you have not learned to trust King Jesus. Although it feels very gratifying to take matters into our own hands we very well may be stunting the growth of what we are carrying by excluding it from King Jesus’s grace and care. We have to confront these fears and insecurities that lead us to believe we can stay in control. We have to be honest with ourselves before God. I want to trust you with my finances, children, marriage, etc, but I am afraid of surrender. It’s in this place of humility that His presence and all perfect love heals us of our fear. It’s in this place that Jesus begins to walk and carry with us the things we were never meant to carry on our own.
Love,
Pastor John
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