You Have a Place at the Table

A few weeks ago, I ran a race that ended with something special: My first PR in a year, and my first time medaling at a varsity track invite.

The high-fives with my rivals, the weight of the medal around my neck, the realization that I had gotten 4 seconds faster in the 800-meter dash…

It felt unreal. I had dreamed about a moment like this, but after a year of disappointing races, I wanted to lose hope.

Choking back tears, I realized that a change had taken place in me. I found my confidence again. My willingness to fight again. My competitive spirit again.

I had come a long way from that freshman who told herself that she didn’t belong.

For a moment, my heart whispered that this third-place success had earned me a place of belonging. But after a year of falling short, I had learned–the hard way–that my place on the track, my place on the team, my place in life…

That place couldn’t depend on my success.

And all along, I had a place.

Sometimes I didn’t know it. Sometimes I didn’t believe it.

But all along, I had a place at my Father’s table.

When my Bible reading led me to a passage in 2 Samuel 9, I remembered that I had a place. And now I want to remind you of this, my reader–You also have a place at the table.

You are not forgotten by God

As I read this passage, I realized that Mephibosheth must have surely felt forgotten.

After the kingship of his family had fallen apart, surely his situation looked hopeless. Surely he didn’t have a place anymore. Surely no one remembered.

Yet David did.

And suddenly Mephibosheth’s situation turned around–All because David hadn’t forgotten.

David hadn’t forgotten his friendship with Jonathan.

And God hadn’t forgotten Mephibosheth in the midst of his plan for David.

When it all falls apart, when life looks nothing like what you had hoped, remember. Remember that you are not forgotten by God.

The Gospel of Matthew contains a beautiful example of a woman who remembered. As a Canaanite in a time before the New Covenant, she knew that she didn’t have the same place at God’s table that the Israelites had received.

But she also knew that God hadn’t forgotten her.

She persisted, willing to settle for less than a seat at the table. Willing to settle for the crumbs underneath.

“She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.'”

~Matthew 15:27, ESV

This is the faith that will find the little rays of light in the darkest places. This is the faith that doesn’t need the perfectly-answered prayers or dreams that always come true.

It’s the faith that doesn’t need a shower of manna every morning, because the smallest crumbs will be enough. Just crumbs.

In the times when you feel like you don’t have a place at the table, you will look for the crumbs. You will look for the crumbs and see that they too are a blessing from God–even if they’re smaller than the meal you had wanted.

In the times when you feel like you don’t have a place at the table, you will look for the crumbs. And you will find more than just crumbs–You’ll find beautiful little signs that God is still in your story.

God remembers.

And you will realize what even the crumbs are truly worth.

When I finished my last cross-country race with a place lower than what I had wanted, my perspective changed. I had to settle for what I once viewed as ‘crumbs,’ but in the process, I learned to be thankful.

Now, every time that I can go out and run strong feels like a little miracle.

I guess I realized what it’s truly worth.

You are invited to the table because of Who your Father is

One of the most important details in Mephibosheth’s story comes down to David’s reason for his kindness. David invited Mephibosheth to his table purely because Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan (See 2 Samuel 9:7).

In the same way, Jesus invites us to His table purely because we have a Father in heaven who loves us enough to make a great sacrifice (See John 3:16).

It doesn’t depend on who we are. It doesn’t depend on what we’ve done.

All that matters is that we have a Father in heaven who welcomes us to His table with open arms.

You have a place at the table because of Whom you serve

Mephibosheth adopted a place of humility, bowing before David as a servant (See 2 Samuel 9:6).

We also take a place of humility before our Savior, serving Him not to earn a place at His table, but because He so graciously gave us that place.

Service isn’t a requirement. It’s a purpose that comes with faith (See James 2:14-26).

“But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. ²⁷ For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.”

~Luke 22:26-27, ESV

Taking the place of a servant means following the example of Jesus Himself.

“You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, ²⁹ and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, ³⁰ that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom.“

~Luke 22:28-30, ESV

A place for the broken

The detail of the 2 Samuel story that inspired me the most is the fact that Mephibosheth was lame in both feet.

Here was someone that the world would have surely overlooked.

He can’t do enough, people surely thought.

He’s not strong enough, they surely said. He’s a servant, and yet there’s so much that he can’t do.

Yet here also was a man who had a place at the king’s table. It didn’t matter what he could–or couldn’t–do.

And this made me think of all the times I had stayed up at night, wishing that I had just been a little faster or a little stronger. A little more perfect.

It made me think of all the times I woke up unable to run a good race. All the times I had fallen short of success. All the times I thought I didn’t have a place at the table, because the race I was running didn’t look like a race that would count.

You can’t do enough, I’ve thought.

You’re not strong enough, I’ve told myself. You’re a runner, but you can’t run a good enough race.

You don’t belong here. You don’t have a place here.

But all along, I had a place.

Because our Father’s table isn’t a place for the perfect. It’s a place for the broken ones who give their hearts to the Healer.

“In that day, declares the Lord,
    I will assemble the lame
and gather those who have been driven away
    and those whom I have afflicted;
⁷ and the lame I will make the remnant,
    and those who were cast off, a strong nation.”

~Micah 4:6-7, ESV

God’s idea isn’t to choose those who are esteemed in the world’s eyes. Instead, He chooses the outcasts.

The lame. The afflicted. The cast out.

Broken people like us all.

Even if you’re hurting and weary from the journey, even if you’re struggling in your race…

You always have a place, my reader. Always.

And the beautiful part is that a table is where you come to seek restoration. And at this table, you’ll find real fulfillment–the daily bread to sustain you for the journey.

Here you’ll discover community and fellowship. Here you’ll find encouragement and heartfelt conversations.

Because here is a place where you truly belong.

Perhaps every broken moment is a moment that we should come sit at our Father’s table, that we may rediscover hope.