A young couple rented a vacation cottage for a week. One afternoon the husband looked out a window at the swimming pool and exclaimed, “Let’s change our clothes and go get some exercise!” His wife, who was washing the dishes in the kitchen and looking out the window watching some people play tennis, quickly agreed. While she dressed for a tennis match, he put on his swimming trunks. The window a person chooses to look out at the world often determines the way they respond to their situation.

In the story of Abigail and Nabal that we’ve been studying every Thursday (and most Friday’s) we see that David is looking out the window of revenge. He is set on getting even with Nabal for his unkindness. Abigail, on the other hand, is looking out an entirely different window – she is seeing a sovereign God and has now stepped in to remind David to get the same picture.

In I Samuel 25:26 we hear her speaking humbly, directly and clearly to David. Because he is a man after God’s heart, he stops and listens to her. She says, “Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the LORD hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.” Fourteen times she calls David “my lord.” Six times she refers to herself as “thy handmaid.” She reminds him that God had kept him from doing this evil thing he was set on doing. She wants him to see the situation from God’s point of view. We will always see things correctly when we get the Lord’s perspective!!

We will be a godly friend, employer, spouse or sister if we point others to the Lord if they’re not thinking biblically. I don’t’ know about you, but it’s so much easier to just listen and agree with a person than to listen, realize they’re not thinking biblically and then bring Truth into the picture. It’s really the hard thing, but it’s the right thing, and that’s what we see Abiagail doing with David.

In verse 28 she reminds him that God had made promises that He will bring to pass and that David need not avenge himself. She tells him to stick to God’s battles and not add any of his own.

We see a beautiful word picture in verse 29. It says, “Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God: and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.” The picture here is that of a traveler who would take their precious belongings and wrap them up and carry them close to their body so they would be safe. For those who know Christ as their Savior, we are bundled up, safe and secure in the sovereign care of our loving God! Abigail reminds David that even though Saul has been chasing after him, he’s secure. Nothing will happen to David that hasn’t first gone through the sovereign hands of an almighty God! That same promise is for you, dear friend, if you’ve trusted in Christ. We don’t have to be afraid of those that can kill the body, but can’t destroy the soul! (Matthew 10:28) Our lives are under the protection of Divine providence.

Abigail must have often run to the security of her God while she dealt with Nabal in this difficult marriage. What peace and refuge He must have brought to her on a daily basis. He longs to do the same for us. We are safe in Him!

In the last part of the verse Abigail tells David that his enemies would be slung out as in the middle of a sling. What a wise woman to use terminology that David could understand. He certainly knew something about slings, didn’t he? She’s reminding him that God will judge the evil doers. He will tolerate them for a time, and then they will be judged. Those who have been the enemies of God will be dealt with. This is a warning to us not to become a Nabal, or we can be sure God will have to deal with us. We don’t know when, but we do know in God’s way and in God’s time He will sling out; He will destroy all those evil doers.

In the meantime, those who are in Christ are safe, bound in the care of the Lord our God!

I enjoy reading missionary stories. I recently read about David Livingstone – the great missionary to Africa. When David died, his body was buried in his birthplace – England. His heart, however, was buried in the place he loved the most – Africa. The natives dug a hole at the foot of a tall tree in a small African village and buried his heart there.

This raises a good question: If your heart was buried in the place you loved the most during life, where would it be? At the office? At the bank? In your “quiet place” where you study God’s Word? Where is your heart?

I’m seeing a trend that is spreading over the young people in our country. Over the last several years I’ve watched the dating scenario change in a huge way. I’m sure there are many reasons for the change, but it concerns me. Let me explain.

Years ago young couples met, got interested in one another, went out on a date, which led to another date and another. Soon their engagement was announced, and perhaps within the span of a year or a little more they were married. Often they were either just out of high school or college. Were times hard? You better believe it. Did they have lots of money saved, a great career under their belt and a house to move into? Hardly! But they worked through those issues together by praying to the God that brought them into this bond of marriage. The result was a deepened faith in God’s provision for them and a strengthening of their relationship.

I read an article yesterday that said, “Many young adults today view their 20s as a time for fun, travel, career-building or finding themselves — not for settling down.” The article said that the median age for men to marry is 28 and in girls it’s 26. This is the change I’m referring to. I think it also falls into the very selfish mindset of our society. A willingness to give up their lifestyle for someone else would require sacrifice; something that many aren’t willing to do.

I’m certainly not suggesting that a couple rush into marriage, but if a couple believes that God has brought them together, they’ve had sufficient time to get to know one another, then why put marriage off? With the proper pre–marital counseling they will have the tools they need to trust the Lord for their finances and their futures.

I also feel for many godly young ladies who would love to date someone and eventually marry, but the young men have the “This is my time” mindset and put off dating, much less getting serious. Marriage is a wonderful blessing. While it isn’t God’s will for all to marry, the majority will. Why put it off? Perhaps young people have seen divorce in their homes and are afraid. Again, though, trusting the Lord who brings a couple together is what brings a couple through many hardships, be it relational or financial.

One of mine and my husband’s favorite memories of our early years is one that found us with a mere 56 cents in our checking account! Our first daughter was about 9 months old and we had no groceries, and obviously no money to go purchase any. We determined to tell no one but the Lord. We prayed. He prayed. I prayed. I specifically asked the Lord to provide the infant cereal that the pediatrician put our infant daughter on – Gerber oatmeal. I believe it was the very next evening after being gone from home, we pulled into our car port to find three sacks of groceries stacked their by an anonymous giver. One item in the sack was the box of Gerber cereal! Many times after that when there was a need, all we had to do was recall God’s faithfulness in providing for our needs at that time to reinforce our faith that He would do it again!

My encouragement to young women is to ask the Lord to do the bringing together of you and your future husband. He did it for Eve. He did it for Rebekah. I can testify that He did it for me, and He can do it for you. Date the guy. Get to know him well, then if you both believe this is God’s will trust Him for your marriage. I’m not suggesting you marry in high school, or too quickly, but I am encouraging couples to move on! Listen to God’s leading, to the counsel of your parents and pastor. Then “what God has brought together let no man put asunder!”

I’m thinking about adding a Monday post called, “What’s cookin’ in the parsonage?” I’ve had people ask me how a person can get a Sunday dinner ready so it can be on the table shortly after getting home from church. In an attempt to help, the post will include the menu and the preparations made beforehand.

I’m writing this today to see if there is an interest in this particular topic. Could you let me know if you’d benefit from a post like this? I’d appreciate your input. Thanks!

I heard of a situation recently where a parent was very stressed. There were pressures on the job, pressures financially, demands from family, time constraints on projects, and on and on it went.

The parent called their child into the room to do a simple task – sign a form and date it. After the child finished doing as was asked, the parent looked at the signature, shook their head, then gave a ten minute lecture on their poor penmanship, how it could effect their future, and what a poor testimony it was.

The next day, after a good night’s rest and time to rethink the situation, the parent went to their child and apologized for overreacting due to the stress in their life. They’d let all the pressures from life make this little thing a huge thing! We’ve all probably done the very same thing at some point in our lives. Being hungry, angry, lonely or tired makes a small matter a mountain to us.

That’s exactly what David did in our story in I Samuel 25. Nabal had been rude, unkind, disrespectful and denied David’s men supper, but this is not a capitol offence! David has turned it into a war. David really is acting out of character. He’d been so longsuffering with King Saul. But now, due to the condition he’s in he’s out of control. Proverbs 19:11 reminds us that it is a man’s glory to overlook a matter. That’s what David should have done – overlooked Nabal’s rude behavior, but instead he made it a battle.

In our study, in verse 24 Abigail has now reached David and his men and dismounts off her donkey and bows herself to the ground showing respect for David. We see her humility in her speech, her attitude and now in her actions.

She begins talking to David in one of the longest speeches made by a woman in Scripture. She’s not on a tirade. She’s calm. She’s in control. She knows what to say and to whom. Once again we see her godly discernment. She’s not bawling and upset. She’s calm, quiet, and respectful. Think about the last “speech” you made; perhaps it was to your husband, your child, boss, or neighbor. Perhaps you were talking to the fool in your life. Were your words calm, quiet and respectful?

As Abigail talks to David she doesn’t tear Nabal down; she’s just honest about what Nabal was like. Her goal isn’t to defend her husband or get David on her side. I believe the Lord was guiding her words, giving her the “tongue of the learned.” When we are in a crisis situation we must stop! This is the time to ask God for wisdom to know what to do, how do do it, who to go to, when to go, and what to say. Our Savior, Who is our Wonderful Counsellor, will give us the wisdom that we need so He will be glorified, we won’t be acting out of control, and we’ll know how to deal with the situation.

Thank the Lord we can be like Abigail rather than Nabal, or even overreacting David – if we’ll stop and pray before we respond. Who will you imitate today?