Recovery Devotional 311 Right Behavior in an Unfortunate Marriage

JMD Devotional 311 1 Samuel 25 Right Behavior in an Unfortunate Marriage

[Nabal was rough and evil in his dealings. When David’s army was camped near Nabal’s flocks, David’s men provided security and protection. David sent a few men to Nabal asking for some provisions (which he had in abundance), and Nabal mocked and insulted them. This must have been his pattern of dealing in the community, because his name came to mean “foolish, wicked”.]

12,13 So David's young men turned away, and came and told him all that was said. And David said to his men, Every man gird on his sword. And they did so, and David also girded on his sword; and there went up after David about 400 men, and 200 remained with the baggage.

14-17 But one of Nabal's young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master, and he railed at them. But David's men were very good to us, and we were not harmed, nor did we miss anything as long as we went with them, when we were in the fields. They were a wall to us night and day, all the time we were with them keeping the sheep. So know this and consider what you will do, for evil is determined against our master and all his house. For he is such a wicked man that one cannot speak to him.

18-20 Then Abigail made haste and took 200 loaves, two skins of wine, five sheep already dressed, five measures of parched grain, 100 clusters of raisins, and 200 cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys. And she said to her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she did not tell her husband Nabal. As she rode on her donkey, she came down hidden by the mountain, and behold, David and his men came down opposite her, and she met them.

21-22 Now David had said, Surely in vain have I protected all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him; and he has repaid me evil for good. May God do so, and more also, to David if I leave of all who belong to him one male alive by morning.

23-28 When Abigail saw David, she hastened and lighted off the donkey, and fell before David on her face and did obeisance. Kneeling at his feet she said, Upon me alone let this guilt be, my lord. And let your handmaid, I pray you, speak in your presence, and hear the words of your handmaid. Let not my lord, I pray you, regard this foolish and wicked fellow Nabal, for as his name is, so is he--Nabal [foolish, wicked] is his name, and folly is with him. But I, your handmaid, did not see my lord's young men whom you sent. So now, my lord, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, seeing that the Lord has prevented you from bloodguiltiness and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal. And now this gift, which your handmaid has brought my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow my lord. Forgive, I pray you, the trespass of your handmaid, for the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the Lord's battles, and evil has not been found in you all your days.

(I cannot improve upon this printed commentary, here it is verbatim):

Whenever God's inspired Word says "[earnestly] remember," one is certain to miss something if he does not stop, look, and really listen to what the Holy Spirit is wanting to tell him--or her. "[Earnestly] remember" Abigail, the woman whom God has specifically held up as a pattern of right behavior in an unfortunate marriage. Here a dozen vital questions are answered through Abigail's example. She could not have known that thousands of years later people in similar circumstances would become "more than conquerors" because of her, but God knew. Study her until you know her God-given secrets of success; then pass them on to the people who are letting an unfortunate marriage wreck them rather than sanctify them for service. F.B. Meyer (Through the Bible Day by Day) said, "Never let the evil disposition of one mate hinder the devotion and grace of the other. Never let the difficulties of your home lead you to abdicate your throne. Do not step down to the level of your circumstances, but lift them to your own high calling in Christ. 'Be not conformed... but be ye transformed' (Rom. 12:1, 2 KJV)."

Dear God,

In times past, before my breakdown, I was evil to others for no reason other than the bitterness of my own soul. Sometimes I was difficult and unapproachable just to give out the cards I was dealt. Forgive me for having had such a wicked spirit! I was so sure of my own righteousness while I was being harsh and judgmental. I had the delusion that You were drawn to me due to some virtue of my own: I now know that You called me in my utter depravity. How can You be so gracious to retched men? How can You love a sinner enough to die in His place? In our family diplomacy my wife was an Abigail and I was a Nabal. Oh God, transform me! Dredge out the muck that keeps my channels of grace stopped up; purge my soul of evil and selfishness. Through Your good presence in my life may my heart beat in resonance with Your unapproachable virtue. And thank You for giving me an Abigail.

Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by

the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)

Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

*New International Version (NIV)

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

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