2 Samuel 9

David had tried to honor Saul in his life and in his death despite the fact that Saul was trying to kill him. As the Lord had now further established David as king, David turned his attention once again to the house of Saul. He remembered his earlier promise to Saul's son Jonathan in 1 Samuel 20:15 when Jonathan said, “Do not cut off your steadfast love from my house forever, when the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” David had made that promise and now he set out to be faithful to his word.

Loyalty to a covenant promise is not proved by words that a man speaks but by actions that he sees through to the end. Jesus, the Messiah King and the great descendant of David, made a covenant promise with His Father in heaven long before David was born. At about the age of thirty he began an intense three-year period of fulfilling that promise at great cost to Himself.

In eternity past He had determined and agreed with the Father to show the fullness of divine love for us by redeeming us through his blood. As the time of testing that covenant faithfulness drew near, Jesus took a towel and washed His disciples feet. He became a servant to His own disciples. That was a symbol of what was soon to come. The culmination of His love came on the cross. In the cross of Christ we have the assurance of God's continuing love for us. “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”
(Romans 8:32)

Who are we to be fellow-heirs with Christ of eternal blessings? We have been blessed far more than Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson. We were not worthy of God's many blessings to us by our nature. We were suitable objects of His wrath. But because of the covenant faithfulness of God toward us, He will love us to the end.

The Son of God served us, showered us with many blessings, invited us to eat at His table, and bestowed upon us an inheritance that will not fade. Now He calls on us to love one another. When Jesus washed His disciples feet, He commanded them to do for each other what they had seen Him do for them. What does this mean? He explained it this way: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” This love calls us to do more than speak good words. We need to follow through and serve others, and we especially need to be true to the covenant commitments that we have already made.