Written by: Jim Partridge – Spring Harvest

1 Samuel 25 v 18-22
Abigail hurried. She took 200 loaves of bread, two leather bags full of wine, five cooked sheep, 15 kilogrammes of cooked grain, 100 cakes of raisins and 200 cakes of pressed figs and put all these on donkeys. Then she told her servants, “Go on. I’ll follow you.” But she did not tell her husband.
Abigail rode her donkey and came down towards the mountain ravine. There she met David and his men coming down towards her.
David had just said, “It’s been useless! I watched over Nabal’s property in the desert. I made sure none of his sheep was missing. I did good to him, but he has paid me back with evil. May God punish my enemies even more. I will not leave one of Nabal’s men alive until morning.”

Notes
I’m not the most observant bloke on the planet. My wife will testify to the many times she has watched me take one giant leap for mankind over the pile of objects that she left on the foot of the stairs for me to carry upstairs. Somehow my brain doesn’t engage with the fact that I am being required to do something.

This was certainly not the case with Abigail. Our passage begins with the statement that Abigail hurried. Abigail saw that something needed to be done. Abigail got on with the job.

David was on the warpath. His target was Nabal (Abigail’s husband). For various reasons David and his men were on Nabal’s patch, he had not harmed Nabal or his servants and had actually kept an eye on them. So when David sent ten men to go and chat to Nabal he expected a warm response. To the contrary, Nabal responded with insults.

So just as David was donning his sword to go and confront Nabal, in stepped Abigail. And knowing that the way to a man’s heart is through his belly, she went to David with bread, wine, meat and cake! Abigail took the initiative.

It’s easy to let the world pass us by without taking action. It’s easy to watch the news and think that it has little to do with us. It is easy to say that we’ll do something tomorrow. But some things need action now. Abigail did not wait till tomorrow; she did not separate herself from the problem - Abigail hurried. Are there things God has asked us to do that we have put off, ignored or stepped back from? Take the initiative. Hurry. It may just be that today is the day God wants you to act.

Prayer
God in heaven, help me to do today the things that you ask me. Give me the courage to take action and not think that others will do what you want me to do. Amen

1 Samuel 25 v 23-26
When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed face down on the ground before him. She fell at David’s feet and said, “My master, let the blame be on me! Please let me talk to you. Listen to what I say. My master, don’t pay attention to this worthless man Nabal. He is like his name. His name means ‘fool’, and he is truly a fool. But I, your servant, didn’t see the men you sent. The LORD has kept you from killing and punishing anyone. As surely as the LORD lives and as surely as you live, may your enemies become like Nabal!”

Notes
Hollywood loves the story of one person giving their life for another. Whether it be Tom Hanks (Captain John Miller) in Saving Private Ryan giving his life for Matt Damon (Private Ryan). Or whether it be Keanu Reaves (Neo) having the choice of saving his own life or that of his leader Laurence Fishburne (Morpheus) in The Matrix.

Abigail was equally heroic. Knowing that David was off to kill her husband, she stepped into the gap and stated: “My master, let the blame be on me!” It was her husband Nabal who insulted David, and though Abigail stated that Nabal was worthless and a fool, she was still willing to step in and take the blame for him. Why? Why did she put herself at risk? If she believed her husband was a fool, why did she not allow David and his men to waltz up there and kill him?

Maybe she saw a bigger picture. Maybe she recognised the power and might of the God that David worshipped. Maybe she was in tune with God. 

In many ways, what she did didn’t make sense. Romans 5 v 7-8 says this: “Very few people will die to save the life of someone else although perhaps for a good person someone might possibly die. But God shows his great love for us in this way: Christ died for us while we were still sinners.”

Abigail put herself in the place of a fool. Jesus Christ, Son of God, maker of heaven and earth, put himself in the place of sinners. Doesn’t make sense does it? 

“The teaching about the cross is foolishness to those who are being lost, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1 v 18).

Prayer
God in heaven, in many ways Abigail’s actions do not make sense. However, this story does remind us of what you gave up when you sent your son Jesus to die in our place. Father, we thank you for the cross. Amen

1 Samuel 25 v 27-31 
“I have brought a gift to you for the men who follow you. Please forgive my wrong. The LORD will certainly let your family have many kings, because you fight his battles. As long as you live, may you do nothing bad. Someone might chase you to kill you, but the LORD your God will keep you alive. He will throw away your enemies’ lives as he would throw a stone from a sling. The LORD will keep all his promises of good things for you. He will make you leader over Israel. Then you won’t feel guilty or troubled because you killed innocent people and punished them. Please remember me when the LORD brings you success.”

Notes
There is something incredibly powerful when God speaks to you through other people. Recently someone prayed for me, and God, through this person, spoke specifically into a situation in my life. 

Abigail was an incredible woman, someone who took the initiative, someone who stepped in to take the blame for her husband, someone who allowed God to use her to speak powerfully into David’s life.

David had been anointed as future king of Israel (1 Samuel 16). Saul was currently king of Israel and was jealous of David (1 Samuel 18). Saul then tried to kill David (1 Samuel 19), so David and his men were on the run from Saul (1 Samuel 24). 

David may have wondered what God’s plan was, anointed as king of Israel, but living in the desert. Then Abigail spoke. ”The Lord will certainly let your family have many kings...”; “...the Lord your God will keep you alive”; “The Lord will keep all his promises of good things for you”; “He will make you leader over Israel.”

If David had any doubts, this stranger Abigail must have eased them. If he needed any confirmation of what God had promised, here was Abigail, speaking directly in to his life. She even managed to sneak in a reference about God killing David’s enemies as if throwing a stone from a sling - a “smack in the face” reminder of David’s dual with Goliath.

The great thing about the Christian life is that God calls us to live it together - helping and encouraging one another and letting God speak through us to other people. All we need to do is listen, be obedient, and God can use us to encourage others as he used Abigail to encourage David.

Prayer
God in heaven, thank you that you are active and that you speak today. Thank you that you use us to encourage others. I want to be open to you using me today to speak into people’s lives. Amen

1 Samuel 25 v 32-35
David answered Abigail, “Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, who sent you to meet me. May you be blessed for your wisdom. You have kept me from killing or punishing people today. As surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, he has kept me from hurting you. If you hadn’t come quickly to meet me, not one of Nabal’s men would have lived until morning.”
Then David accepted Abigail’s gifts. He told her, “Go home in peace. I have heard your words, and I will do what you have asked.”

Notes
Sliding Doors, the movie starring Gwyneth Paltrow, is a story of one girl whose life could go in two different directions. It exists around two parallel scenarios, one which shows Paltrow’s life after she managed to squeeze on the tube as the doors were shutting, getting home to find her partner having an affair. The other showed what happened to her life after missing the tube, getting delayed and therefore not discovering that her partner was with another woman. It showed the impact that a few seconds can have on our lives - a split second can change the course of the future.

David’s life could have gone in a very different direction but for the intervention of the quick thinking Abigail. In 1 Samuel 25 v 18 we read that Abigail hurried. She was quick in her decisions and quick to act. Today we read the consequences of her actions. David said: “If you hadn’t come quickly to meet me, not one of Nabal’s men would have lived until morning.” But for Abigail, David would have lost the plot and murdered Nabal and all his men.

I wonder how many times my life could have gone in different directions but for the intervention of something or someone. I wonder how may times God has put people in my path who have been able to influence me - a word here, an encouragement there, steering me towards taking the route God wanted me to take. 

I wonder how many times God has used me to do the same. If we allow God to use us, we may be able to do for others what Abigail did for David. Our words and actions could help others from making bad decisions. Remember, it only takes a few seconds to make history.

Prayer
God in heaven, thank you that you constantly work in my life. I make myself available for you to use today. Amen

1 Samuel 25 v 36-39
When Abigail went back to Nabal, he was in the house, eating like a king. He was very drunk and in a good mood. So she told him nothing until the next morning. In the morning when he was not drunk, his wife told him everything. His heart stopped, and he became like stone. About ten days later the LORD struck Nabal and he died.
When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise the LORD! Nabal insulted me, but the LORD has supported me! He has kept me from doing wrong. The LORD has punished Nabal for his wrong.”
Then David sent a message to Abigail, asking her to be his wife. 

Notes
Abigail returned from her encounter with David to discover that her husband Nabal had been at the tequila. The news she had was not going to bless him, so she decided to wait till the next morning. However, when she did tell him about her encounter with David, she was probably not expecting the response she got: he became like stone, and he died ten days later.

It’s amazing how God works. Just a few verses earlier David was about to pick up his sword and charge. God stepped in and used Abigail to stop this hasty course of action. When David heard that Nabal was dead, he praised God saying: “...the Lord has supported me! He has kept me from doing wrong.”

The Bible teaches us that it is not our role to seek revenge. Romans 12 v 17 says: “If someone does wrong to you, do not pay him back by doing wrong to him.” The passage goes on to say of God: “I will punish those who do wrong; I will repay them” (Romans 12 v 19).

Sometimes we want to take a course of action that is not ours to take. We try to force situations so that they fit our expectations and timing. However, we need to allow God to do what God needs to do. It was not David’s job to take revenge on Nabal; he had to trust that God would act in his favour.

When we try to control the outcome of something - be it revenge, or be it a job, or what uni to go to, or who to date - we are relying on ourselves. When we trust God and his outcome, we rely on the maker of the universe. As someone once said: “Let go, and let God”.

Prayer
God in heaven, help me to let go and trust you. Forgive me when I try to control situations to see the outcomes I want. Help me to trust in your cosmic plan for my life. Amen

1 Samuel 25 v 40-44
His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, “David sent us to take you so you can become his wife.”
Abigail bowed face down on the ground and said, “I am your servant. I’m ready to serve you and to wash the feet of my master’s servants.” Abigail quickly got on a donkey and went with David’s messengers, with her five maids following her. And she became David’s wife.
David also had married Ahinoam of Jezreel. So they were both David’s wives. Saul’s daughter Michal was also David’s wife, but Saul had given her to Paltiel son of Laish, who was from Gallim.

Notes
Ever been let down by someone? Ever put yourself out on a limb for a friend, only for them to chuck it back in your face?

Abigail had put herself in great danger by firstly going to see David (verses 18-31) and then telling her husband Nabal what she had done (verses 36-39). She had put herself out on a limb. But in verse 31 she made a plea to David “Please remember me when the Lord brings you success.”

Abigail had been good to David. She was asking David to be good in return. What would David do? Repay good with evil, as Nabal had done? Or repay good for good? Thankfully he chose the latter. In verse 35 he made a promise to Abigail: “I have heard your words, and I will do what you have asked.” And in our passage today he fulfilled this promise - he sent for Abigail to be his wife.

Her response epitomises her character: “I am your servant. I’m ready to serve you...”

David did not say one thing and do another; he honoured Abigail by keeping the promise that he made to her. In return, Abigail honoured David by being willing to serve him.

Our lives are full of people who have been let down - either by someone not keeping their word, promising to do something and then not following it through, or by people who have been more interested in themselves rather than looking out for others.

Trust and servanthood are simple but incredible concepts that speak powerfully about the God we serve. Are you someone that people can trust? Or are you someone who is more concerned about others than yourself?

Prayer
God in heaven, Jesus was completely trustworthy and was the ultimate servant. I want my life to speak of you, so help me be more like Jesus today with the people around me. Amen

1 Samuel 26 v 1-5
The people of Ziph went to Saul at Gibeah and said to him, “David is hiding on the hill of Hakilah opposite Jeshimon.”
So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph with 3,000 chosen men of Israel to look for David there. Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah opposite Jeshimon, but David stayed in the desert. When he heard Saul had followed him, he sent out spies and learned for certain that Saul had come to Hakilah.
Then David went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, were sleeping. Saul was sleeping in the middle of the camp with all the army around him.

Notes
In The Matrix Reloaded there is a fight scene where Neo (Keanu Reaves) fights Agent Smith who has the capacity to take over other people’s personas. Before long there are 100+ Agent Smiths in combat with Neo. Of course, we know who wins. Even with 100+ replicas of himself, Agent Smith still faced defeat, running scared in his pursuit of Neo.

Saul was insecure and jealous, knowing his reign as king was coming to an end. He was running scared in his pursuit of David, travelling with an army of 3,000 to find one fugitive: David - on the run, but God’s chosen king of Israel.

In chapter 24 David had the opportunity to kill Saul. Verse 3 tells us that Saul dived into a cave to “relieve himself”. David, hiding in the cave, had the opportunity to kill, but simply cut off the corner of Saul’s cloak.

In chapter 26 David had another opportunity to kill Saul. He sneaked into the middle of the camp where Saul was sleeping and could easily have killed him. But he didn’t. Why?

Because he didn’t need to. Saul wanted David dead because he was a threat to his throne. David, secure in God’s calling on his life, didn’t need to kill Saul because he believed that what God had told him would happen. His security was in his creator, not himself. If God wanted him to be king, he would be king. David didn’t need to force the agenda and kill Saul to make it happen. 

Trusting God is not easy, but this is how we find true security. If we rely on our own ability to get through life, we’ll mess up. If we rely on God’s plan, we can rest secure in the things he has for us.

Prayer
God in heaven, thank you that you have a plan for our lives. Thank you for the security that comes in trusting you. Help me to hand over every part of my life so that I can know your peace. Amen


word-on-the-web uses the Scripture text taken from the Youth Bible, New Century Version (Anglicised Edition) copyright 1993 by Word Publishing Milton Keynes