1 Samuel 25:32-35 - David said to Abigail, "Praise
be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgment and
for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself
with my own hands. Otherwise, as surely
as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you
had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal
would have been left alive by daybreak." Then David accepted from her hand what she had
brought him and said, "Go home in peace. I have heard your words and
granted your request."
David and his men had been protecting a wealthy man that
lived near their stronghold named Nabal… but when David asked him for food…Nabal
very rudely turned him away. David was
so angry that he told 400 of his men to put on their swords...and he led them
out to take vengeance against this one who had been so rude and callus toward them.
If it had not been for the quick thinking and wise words of Nabal’s wife
Abigail…David would surely have let satan trick him into killing Nabal…and
taking justice into his own hands.
It seems so unreal…that David just days before…had used the
conscience that God planted in his heart to rebuke his own men….for now he let
satan trick him into a quick temper. Maybe it was his hunger…maybe it was the many
days of protection they had given to this man…maybe it was sheer exhaustion from
all the running he was doing….but he forgot to ask God what to do in this
matter...and almost made a horrible mistake. So God sent the sweet…wise…Abigail….who
counted on David’s faith in God to save her husband…and in turn saved David
from sinning in a great way.
He thanked God for the wise…kind woman God sent to intervene
before it was too late…and he graciously made her his wife after Nabal died
from a stroke just days later. He was thankful not just for the food she sent….but
for the way she renewed his ability to see mercy. David gave thanks for the rebuke
he received….and the person God had sent to restore it. David gave thanks to God for his intervention
and reminder that vengeance in his alone…just like it was recorded for David in
Deuteronomy 32:35… “To me belongeth vengeance and
recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity
is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.”
It started me thinking…how many times I have given thanks
for the rebukes God has sent my way. My
mind can think of plenty of times when I took justice in my own hands…but is
having a hard time remembering any moments when I actually thanked God for his
rebuke. I asked him to forgive me for my
wrong…but I did not thank him for the lesson it may have taught me…or thanked
him for the person he used to send his message of mercy.
Thank you God for giving to me a conscience….and thank you
God for the many rebukes you have sent my way when I have allowed satan to trick
me into not using it. Help me be more like David….who realized that you sent
Abigail to help him…to renew his ability to use the conscience you planted in
his heart to make merciful….Godly decisions. Help me to recognize the rebuke
and thank you for the mistake it helped me prevent in my life. Go with me this day…and help me make all my
decisions …only after I have asked you what to do. Amen.
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