2009 – Day 126.May 07 – Lesson Learned!

2009 – Day 126.May 07 – Lesson Learned!

Passage of the Day: 1st Samuel 25: 35 - 38 … Link to 1st Sam. 25 for study …

Highlight Passage – 1st Samuel 25: 35 – 38 … 35 So David received from her [Abigail’s] hand what she had brought him, and said to her, “Go up in peace to your house. See, I have heeded your voice and respected your person.” … 36 Now Abigail went to Nabal, and there he was, holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk; therefore she told him nothing, little or much, until morning light. 37 So it was, in the morning, when the wine had gone from Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became like a stone. 38 Then it happened, after about ten days, that the LORD struck Nabal, and he died.

My Journal for Today: Above I have given you the link to go back and study the context of today’s shorter highlight passage [also above for your quick study]. It’s another rather remarkable story, illustrating the interaction between Abigail, David, and Nabal, Abby’s husband.

You may remember that Abigail had done the tough, but Godly thing, standing in the gap for her scoundrel (and probably abusive) husband, saving his life from a very angry anointed one, David. And David recognized that Abigail had given him wise and Godly counsel; and he spared her household, allowing Abigail to give David and his 400 men all the food and drink they needed. And what was Abby’s hubby doing the whole time his wife was being his advocate? As you’ve hopefully read, this “scallywag” was off getting drunk and probably carousing without his wife. And so, what did God do?

Well, the next morning, after Abigail informed her husband what had transpired with David, The Lord saw fit to bring some sort of severe vascular malady (maybe a stroke or heart attack) to this evil man; and he died ten days latter. And if you take a sneak peak by reading ahead a bit, you’ll see that David, recognizing how special Abigail was, proposed to her; and she came to David and was made over to be one of his wives.

This is not the place to discuss the rights or wrongs of David having more than one wife (which becomes interesting theological speculation given David’s fall into sin some years later); but at this point we realize that God can, in His own timing and in His own way, take care of seemingly impossible situations and honoring our righteous decisions, especially when we honor God by doing things the right way rather than the world’s way.

There are many examples in Scripture of God honoring His promises, even when mankind has trouble doing the right thing. BUT, when man does it the RIGHT way, God may not do things exactly as we might imagine or desire; but He’ll always do it the best way for those who believe and follow Him. That’s the working out of a verse (Romans 8: 28 - linked below) which I hope you have memorized and internalized. And we see it played out in this true-life scenario in 1st Samuel 25.

Abigail does the right thing; and God takes over, doing exactly what was needed to protect her family, her household, and to bring about justice for her life with her abusive husband. And so, here’s the deal, … my fellow Christ follower. If we live up to the truth of Luke 9: 23 (also one you should have memorized by now – but linked here if you don’t), God will do the right thing by us (again, I refer you to Romans 8: 28 - linked for your convenience).

Oh, how it’s taken many failures on my part and God's mercy over the years for me to come to the belief and realization of these truths. I pray that you don’t have to incur God’s humility if/when you can’t or won’t choose to humble yourself and learn the lessons we’ve been learning from the life of Abigail. And the main lesson is, … if you don’t humble yourself before God, He will take you through the lessons in “Humility 101;” and the lessons you will have to learn may be something like Nabal had to learn. Personally, I’d rather intentionally submit and humble myself intentionally to life God’s way rather than having to take a mandatory God lesson in humility from our Lord. What is it the old commercial says, … “Pay me now or pay me later!”

My Prayer for Today: Lord, I surrender to You in humility now; and I truly believe that You will guide and protect me as you’ve promised in Your word. Amen