Daily Affirmations - Day 4 - Are You Able? - For Jesus' Sake

Day 4: For Jesus' sake

The kindness and love of God saved me because of His mercy

David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake… Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?” (2 Samuel 9:1, 3).

O Lord our God and heavenly Father, we are called to praise by the words of the prophet: I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, the deeds for which He is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us— yes, the many good things He has done… according to His compassion and many kindnesses (Isaiah 63:7).

You, Lord, do not change— You are the same God who so described Himself: “I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight” (Jeremiah 9:24).

The Lord Jesus Christ is the ultimate expression of Your kindness to us (Ephesians 2:6-9, Titus 3:4). And out of the abundance and overflow of all You have lavished on us, You have called us to a response of "forward-paying" gratitude: As God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility and patience (Colossians 3:12).

O Father, You have given us the example of David, who, with great and deliberate intent, sought out someone from the house of Saul to... show kindness. David's embrace of Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 9:3-13) would be noteworthy, and highly commendable even if he had only extended kindness for Jonathan's sake (2 Samuel 9:1) — to honor the memory and sacred trust of his friend.

But a far greater prompt stirred in David, rising from the overflow of God's kindness (2 Samuel 9:3) in his own life. David modeled his heart after Your kind, compassionate, generous heart. He understood that in the kingdom of God he shared the same plight as Mephibosheth— broken and paralyzed by the chaos and confusion of this world, lost and cowering in fallen insignificance and obscurity; an enemy of Your rule and authority.

We too, are Mephibosheth. But the love of a King Eternal who tears down barriers of stature, standing, and status sought us in the forgotten, barren pastures of Lo Debar (2 Samuel 9:5), and seated us at the King's table, even though we had been discarded as dead dogs (2 Samuel 9:7-8, 13).

Oh Lord, like David, let Your love compel us. Remind us of Your matchless grace and Your kindness. Remind us that out of the overflow of Your love, we too, are able to love, to forgive, to embrace. To show kindness. For Jesus' sake.

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