Amazing Grace (based on The Cripple's Story by Dr. Don Sunukjian) I still don't know my way around this place. You should see all the rooms. And it is kind of difficult for me to move around anyway. This is the home of David. King David. It is so grand. Look at these walls. Paneled with the best wood from around the world. These curtains. They are from the finest silk. My name is Mephibosheth. This is not my home. It is David's. But I and my family have been staying here for the past three months. My wife and my son Micah -- we occupy the whole of the second floor. Why am I here? That is a good story. I am not a dignitary from another land. I am not an ambassador. I am not even a relative of David's. I will tell you the story. It is an amazing story. An amazing story of an amazing grace. My father was killed when I was very young - five years old then. I remember that day. I was playing in the front porch of my father's estate. All of a sudden. I heard the sound of a galloping horse. The horseman came and in a loud voice shouted to my nurse "quick - run - everyone is fleeing - the king is dead - the prince is dead as well - the Philistines - they are coming - quick - run - run - take the boy and run." Then off he went to warn others. My nurse came running out of the house grabbing whatever she could. Then I felt her holding on to my hand and pulling me along. We ran. We ran through the day. We ran through the night. We stop wherever we could to catch a breath and to take a sip of water. At night we would stop in some meadows to catch some sleep. After some time I felt tired. How far could a 5 year old boy run? How fast can he run? I complained. I said that I could not go on anymore. "But they will kill us" she said. "I can't" "The Philistines are fast on our heels - we will die. Get up and run." I started to cry. The nurse then carried me up and she continued to run. After a while, I knew that she was tired. A five year old boy can be heavy. And I was heavy. Very heavy. But she continued to run. All of a sudden I felt her lurching forward. She had tripped and fallen. I hit the ground. Then I felt her body smashing on to me. I felt her full weight on me. Then snap snap. I felt my leg cracking. I felt the pain. The sharp pain. I didn't know what happened after that. I blacked out. The lights had gone out of me. I woke up and found myself in the house of a man called Makir. I had been picked up by some others. They were fleeing as well. And had come across us. They crossed the river and brought us to Makir. That tells you how I come to be this way. But it does not tell who I am. My father was no ordinary soldier. He was Prince Jonathan. King Saul was my grandfather. If all had gone well, I would have been king one day. But all is gone. The battle had put an end to everything. They died and everything was in chaos after that. For days nobody knew what the exact situation was. Then it emerged slowly. Our people started to regroup. One of my uncles had survived - Ishbosheth (sigh. sigh). why? Why of all my uncles? Out of all the strength and grandeur of Saul's house, out of the glorious manhood of Jonathan and my uncles, who should survive? Ishbosheth. He was no leader. He was incompetent and weak. Totally indecisive. Left to himself he would have been okay. But to lead Israel back to her glory. He cant do it. Just as well. Fortunately. We have Abner. He was the commander of the army under my grandfather. A bull of a man. A great fighter. Intelligent. Bold. He had all the qualities of a great leader. So, in reality. Ishbosheth was the figure head. But Abner took the lead to bring Israel back to her feet. Those were difficult days. I was not involved. I was too young then. I was a cripple. I am still one. I was ignored. Whatever happened to Israel was going to happen without my input. Well, it does not really matter. The kingship did not stay long with us, anyway. Before long, it was gone from our family. After seven years, when I was 12, the whole land turned to David. That's the way it has been since then. It was David all the way. How did David and I get together? That's another amazing thing. I had never met David before until about three months ago. My earlier impression of David had been one of bitterness. I was told that he was my father's, Jonathan's best friend. But something must have happened. For by the time I was born, David was an outlaw. He was on the run. He was considered a traitor. There were two explanations for this. The first one is that my grandfather, Saul, had become insanely jealous of David. He became irrational and wanted David dead. David had to flee for his life. The second explanation is that my grandfather saw through David and knew the person whom he was. Cunning. Scheming. He wanted the kingship to himself. He was befriending my father, Jonathan and scheming behind my grandfather. All he was interested in was himself. My grandfather saw through that. I tend to agree with this second explanation. I believe this for a couple of reasons. I believe that David was a scheming traitor because firstly he was staying on the enemies' side in Philistia during the time of the war. During the time both my grandfather and father were killed. Rumours had it that he even volunteered to help the Philistines but was turned down. Secondly, after the war, whilst we were regrouping in the north David had gone to the south and made himself king there. So I am rather negative about David. This opinion was further confirmed seven years later when I was twelve. At that time, Abner had gone to the south to discuss about the consolidation of our northern kingdom with David's southern part. Whilst there, he was tricked to attend a secret meeting with one of David's generals. He was killed at that meeting. A few days later, my uncle Ishbosheth was assassinated. I heard that the assassins were executed by David. But I think this was a cover-up. Dead men tell no tales. And I think David did not want anyone to know that he had plotted it all. Anyway, with both Ishbosheth and Abner dead, David soon became king of the north as well as the south empire. He became king of all our land. And that has been the way it has been since then. But I must admit, for whatever I may say about David, it has been good for our country. There has been an expansion of our empire. We have seen victories, stability and prosperity. There is even been a talk of a dynasty. A dynasty of David. It is said that David had a dream. A dream when God talked to him. A dream that his sons would rule after him. There will be a dynasty. There is even a promise of a Great Son in the future. During all these events I was in the north. In a tiny village in the north. Makir had been kind to me. I married his daughter - we have a son. I do whatever I could to make myself useful. Some bookkeeping. A little carpentry. I am not that good but I appreciate fine wood. And this brings me up to three months ago. One day Ziba showed up and said "David wants to see you." I have not seen Ziba for about ten years. He used to manage the estate for my father and grandfather. He too had fled across the river when the war broke out but had returned when things had stabilized under David. He was living near our old home area and he seems to be doing fairly okay for himself. He said David wanted to see me. That sent a lot of bells ringing. What did David want me for? Surely he wanted me dead. Surely he does not want any more trace of Saul's family to remain. I am done for. I sure do not want to see him. But I had no choice. David's soldiers were just outside. The wagon was waiting for me. I kissed my wife goodbye. Neither of us thought that we will ever see each other again. On the way I asked Ziba "how did David come to hear about me?" Ziba replied. One day, David asked for me. When I went to see him he asked whether I knew of any of Jonathan's descendents who was still alive. That's why I told him about you. Why didn't you shut up? Why did you have to tell him about me? Because I was afraid. I was afraid that he will punish me if he knew that I knew and did not tell him. Besides, he said that his intentions were good. Aiyah. I am going for my execution. What good has he for me? We rode into Jerusalem absolutely quiet after that. When we hit Jerusalem I was flabbergasted - I had heard of the grandeur of the place but never had I expected it to be something quite like this. I was taken inside the palace and made to wait in a room. Ziba left me all alone. He came back shortly after and directed me through some doors. We came to a large room. At the other end someone was sitting. It had to be David. I am living my last moments. That thought flashed across my mind. If he is going to kill me I am not going to give him the privilege of appearing rebellious. So, with difficulties I got on to my knees and bowed to indicate he was king. I heard a thunderous voice "Mephibosheth!" With my head still bowed I said "I am your loyal servant." Don't be afraid - I heard him say. I looked up - the eyes were smiling and his face seemed kind. He told me "rise, and sit by my side." "Your father" he said "he was my dearest friend. When we were young we both knew that the kingship would be taken from Saul's house and that I was to rule. At that time, your father got me to promise that when this happened that I would never harm him nor any of his family members. 30 years ago I made that promise. I promised that when the time come I will be kind to the house of Jonathan. I have sought you out and brought you here to fulfill this promise. I am restoring to you all the land and estate of your father and grandfather - the farmlands, the cattle, the orchards, the buildings - they are all yours. All the revenues that the estate produces are yours. All its operations are in your hands. Ziba will return to assist you. Hi sons and servants will serve you. You will be free to come and go as you please. But I want you to bring your wife and son and come and live with us and be part of our family. That was three months ago. Today, I am a wealthy man and a member of David's family. Here was a king who owed me nothing. I did nothing to deserve all these. But he sought me out and lift me up. What was I to him? I could offer him nothing. In fact in his eyes I was a potential enemy. I was hostile to his rule. But he brought me to the palace, restored the inheritance I had lost and made me part of his family. And I have shared the laughter and love of his house ever since. This indeed is an amazing grace. I have to go now. Thank you for letting me tell my story. You know that dream of David - where sons of his sons will rule until there comes a Great Son of David. I wonder if there will ever be such a Son of David who will be anything like his father. Do you think there will ever be a son of David who will come and seek out an enemy and lift him up - who will restore the inheritance that was lost. Would he take a cripple and make him son of the king? If he would, I hope that you get to meet him.

Close This Window