Brother “D” (as those who know him affectionately call him) was unable to attend the conference in Maryland.
He had suffered a stroke, and would not have the endurance to sit through the day long praise, worship, and fellowship that was planned, no matter how glorious it got.
And the weekend was certainly spirit-filled with ecstatic praise and worship, beautiful vibrant music, warm fellowship between many who previously had been total strangers, and deep corporate and personal encounters with the Lord.
But as I said, Brother D was not able to attend.
Prior to the conference, I was reading one of Pastor Alma’s newsletters to my husband, Richard, who was impressed by the Lord that he should learn one of her favorite hymns – “Trust and Obey” – and play it for her while we were in Maryland on Saturday evening, but because of the length of the conference time and an extended dinner time, he wasn’t able to. He hoped, also, to have an opportunity to meet Brother D, who stayed back in the hotel room.
You see, Brother D is Pastor Alma’s husband.
It was not until Sunday morning, as we were all preparing for our departure, that Richard was able to bring his guitar and harp to their hotel room.
There was Brother D on the bed.
I had met him a few years ago, briefly, when I attended a conference at their home in Washington DC, but Richard shook his hand for the first time.
Brother D looked at me and said “Thank you for the beans.” I responded to him that he might be mistaking me for someone else, because I hadn’t brought any beans. Pastor Alma said “He is remembering the gift of assorted beans in a jar you gave us for Christmas a few years ago.”
Amazing!
Brother D explained that his long term memory was fine, it was his short-term memory that troubled him.
Richard sat on the bed across from him. As he began to sing “Trust and Obey” Brother D broke into tears.
“Trust and Obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey”
This song reaches him each time he hears it. He loves hymns.
Tears began to stream down my own cheeks. There was something eternal in this very moment, more than I’d experienced all weekend.
This was the Key of David!
Cords of Unity + Chords of Harmony = The Key of David
I heard in my spirit “Is there anyone left of the house of Saul that I may show kindness to?” (2 Sam 9:1) Later on, I heard this scripture again as we drove home.
Mephibosheth was lame in both feet. His needs had to be cared for, but it is possible that because Jonathan and Saul were dead, Mephibosheth would no longer have his needs tended to. Because of the love David had for Jonathan, Mephibosheth’s father, David exalted him to the place of eating at the King’s Table for the rest of his life. He also appointed all the servants in the House of Saul to tend to him and to the things he cared for.
For the sake of Jonathan.
David loved Jonathan as he loved his own soul. (1 Sam 20:17, Matt 22:36-40)
I spoke this to Pastor Alma a few days later. She said although her husband wasn’t able to attend the conference, Richard brought the conference to him, and ministered to him. She also shared that, like Mephibosheth, Brother D was lame. Complications of diabetes have forced him to depend on a cane and a wheelchair.
I thought of our Father. “Is there anyone left of the children of men, that I can show kindness to for the sake of My Son?”
And now, because of the blood of the Lamb, Jesus His Son, we are elevated to a place of sitting at the King’s Table forever.
No ministry, nor anointing, nor gift, nor joining in fellowship, nor supernatural manifestation, can ever take the place of what was done for us at the Cross, by His Blood. We are lame, weak, have little power and strength, yet we get to sit in heavenly places for eternity because of what Christ did.
Like Mephibosheth.
Like Brother D. As he was ministered to that Sunday morning, I knew he heard the gentle whisper of the Lord saying “Come up. Sit at My table forever.”
Daily, as we seek him in our prayer time and in life’s interactions, we have opportunity to receive greater revelation of the Cross, of the Blood, of His impact in our lives.
In the upcoming days and weeks and months, the love we say we profess for Jesus (and others) is going to be tested by a hotter fire than it had been in the past.
If we say we love Him, will we also demonstrate that love to those He loves?
