Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. The Lord is seen fit to provide
his children with spiritual food and restricts their diets to
those things necessary for their proper growth. The natural men
of this world would have no taste for the food which he provides,
and such a diet is considered by them as a poor one, since
it is lacking in the types of food that they desire. Many well-meaning
religious individuals have tried to spice up this spiritual food
and add their own touches to it to make it more palatable
to the natural man, but such a quest is fruitless. Unless
the Lord gives a man a taste for this manna from heaven, it
will be despised by all who would eat it, regardless of its preparation
or how it may be served. The Lord feeds those who are
hungry and who feel themselves to be perishing apart from His
mercy. Nothing is more common than to hear men confessing that
they believe in Christ. Yet nothing is more rare than
finding those who know themselves to be naked, destitute, and poor.
Multitudes line up to feast upon a gospel, so-called, with no
substance, having for its main ingredients the free will of
men and the endeavors of the flesh, a message which centers
on what men will and should do rather than on what Christ has
done. Someone once pointed out that rat poison is about 98%
good food, but it is that 2% poison that is added that kills
the rat. Any message which gives a man
even a glimmer of hope in his own faith or ability is just
such a poison. The mercy of God is revealed
unto his children as he is pleased, not only to prepare a proper
feast for them, but he also causes them to hunger after it. and
in so doing compels them to come and dine with him. Even as Isaiah
said, ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he
that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat, yea, come buy wine
and milk without money and without price. None but the thirsty will
have a desire for this water, and only the hungry will yearn
for this bread. Men by nature have no desire
for either, yet those in whom he is pleased to cause this hunger
desire to seek no other. Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou
hast the words of eternal life. Mephibosheth was the orphaned
son of Jonathan. We read that he was continuously
provided for at the king's table his whole life. He is typical
of those who eat at the Lord's table. David's love for Mephibosheth
is the only reason that he was fed while others went hungry.
As Paul said, for who maketh thee to differ from another,
and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? As Isaac Watts
wrote, why was I made to hear thy voice and enter while there
is room, when thousands make a wretched choice, and rather
starve than come? Mephibosheth could do nothing
to gain favor with the king, since he was destitute and lame
on both his feet. We often hear the workmongers
tell us that the children of God can gain blessings and favor
with the Lord by their own obedience and efforts. Such men have evidently
never been acquainted with their own wretched condition. Knowest
thou not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and
blind, and naked? The Lord will continually teach his own of
their innate wickedness and weakness, and they will confess that they
have no righteousness but his. David's love for Mephibosheth
was primarily demonstrated because of his love for Jonathan. The
benefits which flow to the children of God come to them because of
the eternal love which the Heavenly Father has for His Son. Because
the elect sons of God are hidden in Christ, then all of the benefits
of His eternal Sonship accrue to them. The Spirit itself beareth
witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. And
if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with
Christ, if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also
glorified together. Mephibosheth did continually
eat at the king's table because the king did continually provide
such substance as he needed. The king determined the menu
and the portion size without consulting Mephibosheth. The
Lord does feed his people with exactly what they need, though
sometimes the menu may contain foods we would not choose. For
whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom
he receiveth. And we know that all things work together for
good to them that love God, to them who are the called according
to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate
to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be
the firstborn among many brethren. The greatest pleasures that Mephibosheth
received by being at the king's table was those times when the
king was pleased to sit down with him and sup with him. Is
this not true for all of those who are the Lord's little children?
As he says, behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man
hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and I
will sup with him, and he with me. Can you hear him? If any
man have ears to hear, let him hear. If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.