五月廿七日
于是米非波设住在耶路撒冷，常与王同席吃饭。他两腿都是瘸的。（撒下9：13）
米非波设并算不得是王的贵宾，可是他却常与大卫同席，因为王看他的容貌像他所爱的约拿单。我们和米非波设一样，也能对荣耀的王说：“仆人算什么，不过如死狗一般，竞蒙王这样眷顾?”但神仍使我们就近他，因为他在我们的脸上看到了他的爱子耶稣的像。主的民所以可贵乃是为了另一位的缘故。这就是父对他的独生爱子的爱，神为他的缘故，把他的卑贱的弟兄从困苦、寒微中高举起来，得进王前，得居高位，得享王膳。他们的残疾不能夺去他们的权利。瘸腿并不妨碍儿子的名分，跛脚和善跑如飞的亚撤黑一样都可成为后嗣。我们的身体虽然残废无力，我们的权利却是完整的。王的筵席可以遮蔽瘸腿，我们虽有残疾，但也可在福音的筵席上享受殊荣，因为基督的能力护庇了我们。话虽如此，严重的残废却能损毁最可爱的圣徒们。这里有一位虽得与大卫同席，但他两腿都瘸，不能与王一同逃亡出城，因此受他仆人洗巴的谗谄和伤害。信心软弱、知识浅薄的圣徒常大受亏损，他们常遇到很多仇敌，不能如意地跟随王走。这种残疾常是因为跌倒而得。属灵的婴孩因为营养不足，当跌到失望的泥淖中之后便不容易康复，罪或其他原因常使信徒骨头折断。主啊！求你帮助瘸腿的人像鹿一样随意跳跃，愿你用你筵席上的饮食喂养你一切的民。
May 27
“So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king’s table; and was lame on both his feet.” — 2 Samuel 9:13
Mephibosheth was no great ornament to a royal table, yet he had a continual place at David’s board, because the king could see in his face the features of the beloved Jonathan. Like Mephibosheth, we may cry unto the King of Glory, “What is Thy servant, that Thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am?” but still the Lord indulges us with most familiar intercourse with Himself, because He sees in our countenances the remembrance of His dearly-beloved Jesus. The Lord’s people are dear for another’s sake. Such is the love which the Father bears to His only begotten, that for His sake He raises His lowly brethren from poverty and banishment, to courtly companionship, noble rank, and royal provision. Their deformity shall not rob them of their privileges. Lameness is no bar to sonship; the cripple is as much the heir as if he could run like Asahel. Our right does not limp, though our might may. A king’s table is a noble hiding-place for lame legs, and at the gospel feast we learn to glory in infirmities, because the power of Christ resteth upon us. Yet grievous disability may mar the persons of the best-loved saints. Here is one feasted by David, and yet so lame in both his feet that he could not go up with the king when he fled from the city, and was therefore maligned and injured by his servant Ziba. Saints whose faith is weak, and whose knowledge is slender, are great losers; they are exposed to many enemies, and cannot follow the king whithersoever he goeth. This disease frequently arises from falls. Bad nursing in their spiritual infancy often causes converts to fall into a despondency from which they never recover, and sin in other cases brings broken bones. Lord, help the lame to leap like an hart, and satisfy all Thy people with the bread of Thy table!
