Kindness That God Remembers

Power reveals character, but kindness reveals covenant. We continue our study of David at a pivotal moment in 2 Samuel 8–9, when the shepherd-king finally stands secure and chooses mercy over vengeance. Rather than closing ranks, David asks if anyone remains from Saul’s house to bless for Jonathan’s sake, an act that restores Mephibosheth’s inheritance and seats him at the king’s table. That decision reframes leadership as service and shows how loyal love can outlast trauma, rivalry, and time.

We share a personal family story that mirrors this arc: years of small, faithful kindness bearing unexpected fruit when medical bills surged and help felt out of reach.

Walk with us through the textures of covenant friendship, the cost of mercy, and the quiet power of promises kept. If you’ve wondered whether unseen kindness matters, this conversation will steady your hope and nudge you toward action that dignifies others and honors God.

If this message encouraged you, share it with someone who needs a reminder that kindness is never wasted, then subscribe and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome Back & Personal Update
• 1:45 Why This Devotional Exists
• 2:45 Setting The Scene In 2 Samuel
• 4:15 David Seeks Saul’s Remaining Family
• 5:40 Mephibosheth At The King’s Table
• 7:10 A Family Story Of Remembered Kindness
• 9:30 Proverbs 19:17 And Last Reflections
• 11:00 Prayer And Closing Encouragement

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Hello, hello. You're listening to the Jesse Morgan Devotions for the Christian Heart Podcast, episode 97. This week's devotional is titled Kindness That God Remembers. Continuing our study of David, let's go. Hi, I'm Jesse Morgan. I used to just share home decor and renovation tips on social media, but now I'm sharing something even closer to my heart. My journey in love for Jesus Christ, my Savior. Welcome to the Jesse Morgan Devotions for the Christian Hawk Podcast. This is a weekly devotional I started back in May 2024, but the inspiration for it came much earlier. It was rooted in a faith journey that began when my daughter was born four months early in 2023. Through that challenging time, God worked in ways that truly amazed me. On this podcast, I share personal stories of faith woven together with Scripture to show just how incredible God's word can be in our everyday lives. My hope is that through these stories, you'll be encouraged, uplifted, and reminded of God's love and presence, no matter what you're going through. So I invite you to spend less than 15 minutes with me each week as we reflect on these devotionals together. Let's all pray within. Kindness that God remembers, episode 97, key passages, or key passage, uh, 2 Samuel 8 and 9. Hello and welcome back to the podcast. I know I've been away for a bit, but I'm back. I'm a little less, I'm a little more relaxed. My daughter is finally feeling better. I just want to say thank you so much for all your prayers and people that reached out. I really appreciate it. We're still dealing with construction and leaks at the house, but God is taking care of that too, so we'll get there. I've actually had a really fun past couple of days. I got to participate in one of my favorite events called Tour of Kitchens. And honestly, it's exactly what I what it sounds like touring beautiful homes and seeing their kitchens. That's it. And I absolutely love it. I love design, I love construction, I love seeing beautiful materials come together, and I love the finished product. It's just my thing. Anyways, back to the podcast. So by the time um we reach 2 Samuel chapters 8 and 9, David's life looks completely different than it once did. I'm referring back to, you know, our focus right now, our study is the life of David. And so we have obviously um we have started from when he was just a regular shepherd boy, and now he's king. So let's let's keep going. So within, like I said, 2 Samuel chapters 8 and 9, David's life looks completely different than when it once was. Um David David is he's no longer running, he's no longer hiding, he's no longer fighting just to survive. David has been proclaimed king and 2 Samuel, and he is king over all of Israel. He has captured Jerusalem, which is now called the city of David. He has brought the Art of Covenant into the city, and he is praising God with gratitude and joy. David even desires to build God a beautiful temple, but through the prophet Nathan, God tells him no, not because David's heart is wrong, but because David has been a man of war. God tells him that one day his son will build the temple for instead, for him instead. And David accepts that. I mean, the Lord was with David. God was with David. Everything is going right. And it's right there at the height of success that David pauses and asks a surprising question in chapter nine. And it says, Is anyone still left of the house of Saul that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake? That question tells us everything about David's heart. Saul, as many know, was the first king of Israel who tried to kill David. Saul caused David years of fear, trauma, and isolation, but Jonathan, Saul's son, was different. Jonathan loved David. He protected him, he recognized that David was God's anointed, even though Jonathan himself was the rightful heir to the throne. They made a covenant of loyalty and friendship together. Jonathan died years earlier, probably about ten years before this moment. But David remembered. David summons a former servant of Saul called Ziba and asks if anyone from Saul's family is still alive. Ziba tells him about Jonathan's son, uh Mephaheth, who is crippled in both feet and living in obscurity. David has asked to bring him in. And instead of judgment, of course, that Jonathan's son was probably terrified walking in to see King David, because he knows, you know, how his grandfather was with him. And he walks in there and David says, Do not be afraid. David restores all the land that belonged to Saul to Jonathan's son. He assigns Ziba, the servant, and his family to serve him. And then David does something deeply personal. He tells Jonathan's son that he will always eat at the king's table. David basically decided to treat Jonathan's son like his own forever. This is kindness that didn't forget. This is loyalty that survived time. This is love that remembered a promise. And when I read this story, I mean it immediately um reminds me of something that happened in my own family, because this is exactly how God works. As many of you know, my parents have been married for over 40 years now. My dad has multiple sclerosis, and over the years his condition has progressed. He can no longer walk on his own, and he requires frequent medic medical care, appointments, blood work, procedures, you name it. There was a season when insurance wasn't covering everything, and their remaining balances, and the remaining balances were overwhelming for my parents. Sometimes hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars. It was a heavy burden on my mom to try to figure out for my dad. And someone told my mom about um there's some charities that support people with specific illnesses, including multiple sclerosis. She started calling around, putting in applications. Many said um that my dad didn't qualify. One fund finally said that he did, and it would cost, but it would cost them the way it worked is my mom would still have to pay$10 a month towards it. My mom was relieved and ready to move forward. We thought$10. Hey, that's great. The next day, another charity called her. She almost didn't answer, but felt prompt to hear them out. While on the phone, my mom was explaining my dad's condition and saying something like, you know, my name is Mrs. McNeil and my husband is Mr. McNeil and this is this and all that type of stuff. And the woman on the phone paused and she said, Wait, are you talking about Pastor McNeil in Miami? My mom was like shocked and said, Yes, yes, that's who I'm talking about. The woman then shared that she had gone to school with me and that my dad had always been kind to her over the years. If for people that don't know, my father was um a pastor at the church that was connected to my school. So my parents, my mom worked in fundraising at the school. So my parents worked in the school that I went to. So of course I saw them every day, all the time. And of course, all my, you know, my peers and everybody, everybody knew who my parents were. Anyways, um the girl on the phone basically told my mom um that my father always acknowledged her, always spoke to her, and that both my parents were warm and welcoming. She told my mom how much that kindness had meant to her back then and how much it still means to her now. Then the girl said, Don't worry, Mrs. McNeil, I got this. Let me work on this and I'll call you back. And a few hours later she called back and said, Mrs. McNeil, you're all set. There is no monthly payment. This charity will cover everything your insurance does not. My mom fell to her knees in tears. To this day, this has been like a decade later, that charity, that special association, continues to support my dad and his medical needs. And when I think about that story, I think about David and um Messef. David remembered Jonathan. God remembered kindness. And here's the question this passage asks all of us. What kindness have we shown that God might one day remember? Kindness is never wasted, loyalty is never forgotten, and obedience, even when no one sees it, always bears good things, bears fruit. David was a warrior, yes, but scripture also shows us his softness, his humanity, his faithfulness. And that's what and that's what should define us as believers, I feel. Not how high we rise or how successful we become, but how deeply we love, how deeply we care. Now, before we close, I want to anchor this teaching in scripture. Let's look at Proverbs 1917. I've been doing a extensive um study on Proverbs with my Bible study that I go to weekly, and it has touched me in ways I can't even explain. But I really wanted to tie in a Proverbs to this lesson. So here we go. Proverbs 19:17, it says, Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward and He will reward them for what they have done. That verse perfectly it to me, it really captures what we see in David's life and in real life. David showed kindness when he didn't have to. He remembered someone who could give him nothing in return, and God honored it. Kindness is never just about the person in front of us. Scripture tells us that when we act in kindness, we are actually lending to the Lord Himself. God sees it, God remembers it, and God rewards it in his timing and in his way. So as we reflect today, I want to leave you with this question. Where is God inviting you to show kindness? Not for recognition, not for praise, but out of obedience and love. Because when kindness is genuine, God will always do more with it than we ever could. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for the word and for the example you gave you gave us through the life of David. Thank you for reminding us that kindness matters, that loyalty matters, and that nothing done in love is ever wasted. Lord, help us to be people who remember, not people who forget. And help us to show kindness when it costs us something. Even when no one sees it, Lord, you know, even when there's nothing to gain. Teach us, Lord, to love the way you love, to reflect your love in our words, our actions, in our relationships. And Lord, if there are areas where we've been distant, distracted, hardened, mean, help us to soften our hearts again. We want our lives to honor you, to reflect you, not just be, not just in the big moments, but in those quiet moments, those moments that people don't see, and those faithful acts of kindness show. Father, we love you and we praise you, and we thank you so much for the study of David. In Jesus' name. Amen. Love you all till next time. Well, that wraps up this week's episode. I hope these devotions help you draw closer to God each day. If this episode encouraged you, please share it with someone who might need the same message. And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss a weekly episode. Also, if you feek if you feel compelled, leaving a nice review would be so appreciated as well. For more information or to reach out, check the show notes or visit jessymorganhome.com or find me on Instagram at Jessimorganlife. Remember, God's timing is always perfect. Keep trusting him. Until next time, this is Jesse Morgan praying off.