This morning reading in The Chosen 40 Days With Jesus Book Three, the verse Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:7 NIV. Day 8 of the devotional was about the friendship Mary and Elizabeth (the mother of John the Baptist) shared that was so needed given their unique circumstances. Mary, the mother of Jesus, a teenager betrothed to be married to Joseph, believed the angel Gabriel when he told her she would conceive and bear a Son of the Most High by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:26-38). Elizabeth, Mary’s relative, was very old as was her husband Zechariah. Zechariah didn’t believe Gabriel when Gabriel told him he and Elizabeth would bear a son. That got me to thinking about why Zechariah didn’t believe Gabriel. Zechariah was very old – this he knew. His wife also was very old. He KNEW he was too old. He couldn’t step away from what he knew to be true. Zechariah may have been unable to step away in faith from what he knew to be true even though that message was delivered through Gabriel who stands in the presence of God (v. 19), but God is faithful and He is able and His will stands.

Instead of fast forward, let’s go backward to 2 Samuel 9. David is King of Israel, a mighty warrior. He has replaced Saul as King of Israel. He never forgot his friendship with Jonathan, Saul’s son, whom most would have expected to be the next king. He goes out of his way to inquire whether any family remains of the house of Saul. The king asked, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?” v. 3. David finds out through a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba that Jonathan, David’s friend, had a son named Mephibosheth, and that he is lame in both feet. David summons Mephibosheth to him. Can you imagine being summoned into the presence of a king who replaced your family line? There was nowhere he could go to be safe if David wanted to end his life to ensure his own dynasty. David told him not to be afraid. Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?” v. 8. David appointed Ziba, servant of Saul’s household, to farm the land of Saul that David has returned to Mephibosheth, to work the land for him, and Mephibosheth will always eat at David’s table. David loved Jonathan, his friend, so much, he will honor Jonathan’s son. Did Mephibosheth believe David? It didn’t matter. And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet. v. 13.

Do we believe God? It doesn’t matter. He loves us whether we believe that or not. What do we KNOW that prevents us believing God? Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14.

What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me? This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:9-10. Believe Him. His love is real and very personal. God’s kindness…who can fathom? Believe anyway!