A COVENANT OF KINDNESS

“So, David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.” – 2 Samuel 9:1

REFERENCE:

2 Samuel 9:1-10

A beautiful bond of friendship existed between David and Jonathan. I Sam 18:1 says, “The soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” He further made a covenant of friendship and kindness with David; he stripped himself of his robe, armor, sword, and belt and gave them all to David. A covenant to last for generations. Covenants are binding; they provide conditions and promises for and undergird every relationship.

Jonathan’s covenant of friendship with David eventually cost him the throne and his life. He paid the ultimate price, but the covenant was still active. Jonathan’s blood ratified the covenant, in a figure, and made it perpetually binding on David. Although Jonathan was no more, any member of his family, knowing nothing about the covenant, could benefit from it. The covenant compelled David to look for someone from the house of Saul that he would show kindness.

Guess who benefited? Jonathan’s disabled son, Mephibosheth! Jonathan’s family had lost their former glory, and Mephibosheth was in hiding in Lo Debar (no pasture) – one preacher called Lo Debar ‘below the bar.’ Mephibosheth’s quality of life at this point was below the bar. He lived in a place of no pasture (dryness, lack, barrenness) but a covenant of friendship and kindness that his father cut several years before later spoke for him. It brought him out of Lo Debar into the palace and sat him to eat at the king’s table.

God said, “I have loved you with an everlasting love…” (Jeremiah 31:3). He made a covenant to love you unconditionally, save, preserve, and protect you. He sealed that covenant by proxy when Jesus gave His life. He said this is the new covenant in My blood. You may be living below the bar (in Lo Debar) now, or you are ‘lame’ in your finances, health, career, relationships, or family, God has you on His mind. David saved Mephibosheth; he gave him rest and restoration.

David said, “Who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake.” God extends the same invitation: “Who needs mercy, help, restoration, rest, etc., that I may show him kindness because of the blood covenant in Christ?” If the covenant between two men was so binding that it extended to their children after death, how more binding will a covenant made by the Living God be? God’s covenant of kindness towards you is in force; do not buy the devil’s lies that God does not care about you. He paid the ultimate price for you to walk in His favor, He is on your side, and He is in your life to do you good. It is time to get out of ‘Lo Debar’ and enter the palace of God’s blessings. God’s covenant of kindness speaks for you now.

PHOTO QUOTE

ADDITIONAL TEXTS:

1 Samuel 20:12-16; 20:42, Deuteronomy 7:7-9, and Hebrews 6:16-18 (TLB)

PRAYER POINTS:

+ Father, I thank You for Your covenant of promise that you have made to me in Christ Jesus. I activate it right now, declaring that it will speak in every area of my life

+ I decree my release from every Lo Debar of lack, fear, loss, shame, failure, obscurity, etc. I break the bar that is restricting my breakthrough.

+ By the blood of the covenant, I enter my palace of rest and reclaim all the enemy stole from me, in Jesus’ name. Let my David send for me, and let my life turn for good, in Jesus’ name.