When the Lord answered our prayer for a puppy with a resounding yes, our sad and cold and dead house began to come alive again. Our hearts slowly began to thaw and melt, our faces softened, and we began to laugh and feel again -- feel laughter, feel happiness, feel joy, feel love. Every time we watched the little black fur ball play and do funny things, our brokenness began to mend.

We loved him, snuggled with him, played with him, bought him funny-looking squeaky puppy toys at the pet store. Okay. We spoiled him completely rotten.

One day I asked son, can you imagine what Puppy's life would have been like if Niece had not rescued him? If she had not texted me to see if we wanted him? Lost and abandoned at probably five weeks old, seeking shelter underneath students' cars, how long would have been before he got hit by a car and . . . Well, as son said, I don't even want to think about what Puppy's life would have been.

Which started me thinking about Mephibosheth. "Muh-fib-uh- who?" asked son. Mephibosheth's story is found in 2 Samuel Chapter 9. After the death of Saul and his son Jonathan, and David became king, he recalled the friendship and love he had for Jonathan. He asked a servant if there was anyone remaining alive from Jonathan's family.

Normally, any male relatives of the preceding king would have been killed by the new king and property confiscated, to prevent a familial uprising and retaking of the throne. So when the new King David summoned Mephibosheth to appear before him, Mephibosheth was probably shaking in his boots with fear, wondering how he would die. Maybe not literally shaking in his boots. Mephibosheth was also lame and crippled in both feet. I don't know if he had enough movement in his feet for them to shake. Suffice it to say, David surely wasn't calling Mephibosheth to be his gardener or body guard.

Out of the overflow of God's grace, David calmed Mephibosheth's fears and promised that he only wanted to show kindness to the poor guy with no future. Out of the overflow of the love he had for Jonathan, David restored all of Saul's land to Mephibosheth, and told him he would always dine at the King's table. Wow.

When Mephibosheth came before David, he bowed down low and said, "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?" (2 Samuel 9:8)


Which reminds me that I, too, was a dead dog that was noticed by the King of Kings, for no practical reason other than and overflow of grace and love. Yes, I have use of my feet (thanks be to God!) but God has no need of *my* feet. What am I, that He should notice?

For one thing, I am one of three happy, joyful, delighted owners of a little black fur ball who needed rescue, and who makes insane Ninja leaps for frisbees and water hoses.

God notices.