He is waiting for you in Lo Debar

David is king. From his palace in Jerusalem he remembers Jonathan. They were best friends back in their youth. Jonathan is dead but the love between David and Jonathan has not died.

David calls one of his servants, Ziba, who was working for the previous king, Saul, father of Jonathan and asks: “Is anyone still alive from Saul’s family? If so, I want to show God’s kindness to them in any way I can.’’

Ziba replies: ‘‘Yes, one of Jonathan’s sons is still alive, but he is crippled.’’

‘‘What’s his name and where does he live? ’’

’’His name is Mephiboseth and he lives in Lo Debar.’’

And David continues: “So Ziba, I want you to go to Lo Debar. When you find Mephiboseth, tell him to come to the palace. I want him to live here with me.”

Mephiboseth:
Across the world today, there are millions of lives like Mephiboseth - broken, bruised, sick and lost. Mephiboseth is the prisoner behind high walls (like the ones I met this week at a prison North of Phnom Penh). Mephiboseth is the young girl who sells her body on the streets for a few dollars. Mephiboseth is that baby who’s been diagnosed with an incurable disease. Mephiboseth is that unreached people group who are living far from God: the Afghani Tadjik people (4 million of them) for exemple.

Mephiboseth does not know that Jesus Himself is calling him to His kingdom. There is room for each
Mephiboseth of the world at God’s table.

Lo Debar:
Most Christians are too busy to find out where Lo Debar is. Some might pray for the unreached people of the earth but very few will ever go there.

Lo Debar is that slum in the Philippines where people, like beasts, are stacked on top of each other. Lo
Debar is that remote village in Turkmenistan where, to this day no one has yet made Christ known. Lo
Debar is that town in Italy where unemployment, drugs and crime are holding many in bondage.

It is always easier to stay in the comfort of the palace than to head out for Lo Debar.

Ziba:
Ziba, David’s servant did not look for someone to replace him on his mission. He did not look for any excuse. He promptly responded to the call, the way Isaiah the prophet responded: “Lord, I’ll go! Send me.”
Ziba reminds me of Jackie Pullinger who, back in the 60s, left the comfort of England to board a ship that took her to the other side of the world. I received the other day, a Newsletter from Jackie. After all those years, she and her team are still reaching out in Hong Kong to the many drug addicts. For Jackie, Hong Kong is her Lo Debar.

Have you found your Lo Debar?

Last week, I went over with missionary co-worker, Maira to a slum made up of no more than a dozen families. Maira discovered this slum community after meeting a little boy on the streets. To this day, no one has brought any help to those terribly poor people. Most children have never been to school. They earn a living by scavenging through rubbish.

Maira, like Ziba has found Mephiboseth in Lo Debar. Many Christians think that Mephiboseth is going to arrive all by himself just like that, at the doorstep of
the palace. Jesus never said the lost will come by themselves. “Go!’’ He said. “Go into all the world and preach the Good News!’’

Do you remember the Ziba God sent to you? The Ziba who led you to Jesus? Was it a friend from work? A neighbor? A missionary? Do you still remember the day when you walked through the doors of the palace? And in spite of your broken life, Jesus welcomed you to His table?

There is a long table in God’s palace: Around the table are men, women and children of all races, from every language. They are sitting in the palace because one day, someone found them in Lo Debar. They are no more orphans. Today like you and me, they belong to God’s great family.

But around God’s table, there are still many empty seats.

We cannot yet celebrate because those afar have still not responded to God’s invitation.

Hudson Taylor, one of the first missionaries to China, tells the story of a young Chinese Christian who had recently become a follower of Jesus, came up to him one day and asked: ‘’Mr. Taylor, since how long is the Good News of the Gospel known in your country?’’

“In England where I came from,” answered the missionary, “we know about Jesus since a long, long time ago. Actually hundreds of years.’’

“Hundreds of years!” exclaimed the young Chinese, astonished. “And no one from your country ever came to tell us about Jesus!” And he added with much sadness in his voice, ‘’My dad searched for the truth his whole life. He searched and searched but he died without finding it. Oh! Why did you not
come to China sooner?’’

God bless you as you reach out , in Lo Debar.