This particular character in the Bible (you can read his story in 2 Samuel chapter 4 verse 4 and 2 Samuel chapter 9) truly touched my heart the first time I have read about him. I got mixed emotions thinking about his situation – born with a physical defect by accident, one whose family lineage fell tragically, no mother or father to grow up with, and a future you cannot even picture out. “Why was I born? What’s my purpose?” He probably asked this himself so many times but only God knows.
Putting myself in his shoe, I do not know how I would survive such a reality. Other than feeling useless and sorry for myself, I would have probably wished I better be dead than alive. Worse, I might have even hated God for such a life.
Mephibosheth
Mephibosheth’s life is relatable in so many ways for us. Some may be born with whatever they feel like a defect in their life or at some point in your life tragedy strikes and it left you damaged that feels like forever. This pandemic can be like Mephibosheth’s hopeless life and you have no choice but to keep breathing every day and keep on surviving.
But then despite it all, Mephibosheth never gave up even if life was a blank paper for him. And his story wasn’t over because God wasn’t over with him yet. Who would have thought that a person who referred to himself as a “dead dog” (see 2 Samuel chapter 9 verse 8) would one day be sought by a King (David) and be invited to live in a palace and feast at the table every day like one of the King’s sons? Every time I read Mephibosheth’s story; I am reminded that there is always hope through our living God.
It amazes me how God really knows our pain and He has His own ways of healing and restoring us uniquely and powerfully. He deals with our life seriously in a way when the enemy comes after us, Daddy God will make sure that freedom, healing, deliverance, and restoration is going to multiply out of a single grain.
Nightbirde
Recently, I have read an amazing story of a person who for me resembles Mephibosheth’s story. She calls herself “Nightbirde” and her real name is Jane Marczewski. One day, quotes from her blog and statements were flooding my social media newsfeed and out of curiosity I clicked her website.
Ah, I got the same feels when I read about Mephibosheth’s story.
In her blog this is what she wrote:
“After the doctor told me I was dying, and after the man I married said he did not love me anymore, I chased a miracle in California and sixteen weeks later, I got it. The cancer was gone. But when my brain caught up with it all, something broke. I later found out that all the tragedy at once had caused a physical head trauma, and my brain was sending false signals of excruciating pain and panic.
I spent three months propped against the wall. On nights that I could not sleep, I laid in the tub like an insect, staring at my reflection in the shower knob. I vomited until I was hollow. I rolled up under my robe on the tile. The bathroom floor became my place to hide, where I could scream and be ugly; where I could sob and spit and eventually doze off, happy to be asleep, even with my head on the toilet.
I have had cancer three times now, and I have barely passed thirty. There are times when I wonder what I must have done to deserve such a story. I fear sometimes that when I die and meet with God, that He will say I disappointed Him, or offended Him, or failed Him. Maybe He’ll say I just never learned the lesson, or that I wasn’t grateful enough. But one thing I know for sure is this: He can never say that He did not know me.”
Research
After searching for more about her, I found out that she was recently Simon Cowell’s golden buzzer on America’s Got Talent. I knew it was God’s doing – a display of His glory, wisdom, strategy, and awesomeness.
What happened to Nightbirde for me felt like God’s dropped an atomic bomb that surprised Satan and his minions. A woman whose life was in a lot of pain physically, emotionally, spiritually, mentally was one day revealed on stage by God for the world to see His glory and a message of hope amidst what everyone is going through this season of pandemic. Jane has truly touched many lives including mine and I know that her testimony is setting many captives free especially these difficult times we are living in now.
God knows our pain and He’s going to make sure that the devil’s going to pay the price once He strikes back! Romans chapter 12 verse 19 says, “…I will take revenge; I will pay them back…”
Your hope
If you’re losing hope and you feel like life has turned its back on you, just know that God isn’t over with you yet. Don’t you ever give up because someday your life is going to touch and change lives too in Jesus’ name!
Lovely Lao is a Sunday school teacher and is involved in children’s ministry at a local church. She is a passionate lover of God and people, especially children. Jesus is her ultimate joy and excitement in life and she is hungry to know and learn more about him. She is also married to a youth pastor who is a man after God’s heart.
Lovely Lao’s previous articles may be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/lovely-salcedo.html
