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?

Abigail was standing between two angry and foolish men – Nabal and David. When we see her response we see that she didn’t fall into behaving like them, instead she remained the discerning woman she had been. Just because people around you are acting foolishly doesn’t mean you have to act like a fool. It’s easy to fall into their speech, their accusations, their anger, but you don’t have to!

In her response we see that she didn’t cower in fear. We don’t see her falling apart, crying, and sobbing that she didn’t know what to do. There had to be some fear there – 400 men were headed to her house! But she doesn’t let it keep her from getting up and doing something. She’s not passive. Even though it’s not her life that’s in danger, Abigail doesn’t sit at home. She sets about a plan to help those in the middle of the crisis.

It’s easy for us to not want to help when we see others in a crisis. We’re afraid of doing the wrong thing or saying the wrong thing, so we do nothing. There are those about us that are unsaved – they’re on their way to hell unless some Christian gets active and reaches out to capture them by giving them the Gospel. Who do you know that needs to be “rescued” from a perilous situation? Don’t be passive – reach out with the help only you can give.

In I Samuel 18 we see that Abigail got together the gift of food for David and his men. She does this quickly. She seems like an organized woman. She knew what to get and where to get it. You don’t see her flying all over the house in a fit trying to find the meat or raisins. She calmly gets it together. They were a wealthy family and had plenty to share.

Proverbs 3:27, 28 – Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. Say not unto thy neighbor, Go and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee. What has the Lord put into your hand that He wants you to share with others? It may be a material need. Perhaps you know a younger woman that needs to be discipled and taught the Word. Does someone need you to pray with them about a burden they’re carrying? Don’t keep it to yourself; share with others when the Lord brings it to your mind.

Abigail sends ahead the gift to David and she doesn’t tell her husband that she’s going. In her wisdom she knew that he wasn’t in the frame of mind to hear what she had to say. Her motive was not one of deception – she was seeking to spare his life from David’s wrath. She’s was acting in his best interest. Her silence to her husband is the exception. Most of the time if we’re doing something behind some one’s back we’re the ones in trouble; in this case, it was Nabal that was in trouble and his wife was seeking to get him out of it.

A woman who walks with God will know how to act wisely in a crisis. However, we need to be preparing before the crisis arrives. You can’t take a crash course in the middle of the difficulty. How can a person be prepared before a crisis? By storing away the Word of God in their hearts; learning the character of their God.

I heard someone say, “You never know how you’ll react in a crisis until it happens.” That is partly true – I can’t know exactly what I will say or do, but I can have a good idea by what I’m doing now. Think of it this way – when a runner prepares for a marathon he runs every day. He exercises and stretches. He makes his runs longer each day until the day of the race. As he stands at the starting line he might not know if he’s going to win the race, but because of the preparation he’s made, he has a pretty good idea that he won’t collapse before the race is over. He’s readied his body and his mind. That’s what we need to do – prepare so we won’t fall apart in the crisis. We can finish the race. That doesn’t mean we’re perfect Christians; we all must grow until we reach heaven, but we know this – we’re stronger and more sure of what we know about our God so that when the crisis comes we’re prepared and we won’t come unglued.

Abigail knew what to do because she was walking with the Lord. When we are in the middle of a situation that a foolish person has created, the Lord will also give us wisdom to know how to handle it if we’re like Abigail and are walking with Him.

(Continued tomorrow)

I love reading through the Proverbs each month. The Lord so wisely scattered so many topics in each chapter. As I read through in the morning there are so many different warnings or exhortations given that I always need something that I’ve just read.

This morning as I read chapter 5 it was easy to feel “off the hook” when most of the chapter is a warning to a man about the strange woman. However, when I got to verses 18 and 19 the Lord brought a sharp reminder to my own heart. It says, Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe…”

The husband is to enjoy the wife of his youth. We wives can make that a hard task some days because we’re not being what the verse 19 reminds us – loving and pleasant. Every day should find us enjoying being married, not enduring it! It’s ironical, isn’t it, that when a couple is engaged they count down the days until their wedding. Some even know the hours and minutes! They can’t wait! Then not long after – a couple years, perhaps – they’re looking at each other with daggers instead of delight. What happened?

I’m not going to speak for the husband, but for us wives I know what goes on in my own heart. Instead of being loving and pleasant I’m lukewarm and parsimonious (a neat word that means stingy) in the love I give him. It’s easy for us to enjoy our friends and other family members – parents and siblings, but we’re easily irritated with our husbands for some little something.

This passage is directing its encouragement to husbands, but we wives need to do the same thing toward them that they’re asked to do towards us. What is that?

• Rejoice in him – Thank God in prayer today for the husband that He brought into your life and that you chose! Think about all the things that brought you together – the reasons you fell in love with him and rejoice!
• Rejoice in being married.
• Pray for your husband every day.
• Choose to be joyful today in the way you speak to your husband and the way you respond to him.
• Be fond of your husband and love him dearly. Think of ways you could display that today.
• Laugh with him.
• Spend time close to him, just loving him the way you did early in your marriage.

Other people can be my husband’s friend, but I am the only one that can be his wife…I want to do it well. I’m sure you feel the same towards your husband; we just get sidetracked sometimes. Let’s work today on being loving and pleasant so our husbands will have good reason to rejoice with the wife of his youth!

On the outside of my box of Miracle Gro it says, “Starts to work instantly – promotes quick, beautiful results.” I must say, it really does work well – if you remember to use it! Sometimes when I’ve neglected adding the plant food to my watering can I’ll be reminded just by the look of the plant. The blooms aren’t multiplying; instead it’s just maintaining its existence in my yard. Then the thought strikes my mind – “Add Miracle Gro!” Bingo! The plants take to it and they’re off and blooming again.

I wonder if any one’s thought of creating a miracle grow for the Christian life; a neat little package that if applied weekly will guarantee “quick, beautiful results.” “That’s ridiculous!” you say. Of course it is, but I wonder how many would pick up the package and give it a good consideration? Growth in our spiritual life is gradual. It comes slowly, from day by day study of the Word, and that’s hard. We want to see sprouts of new growth overnight.

Just as I neglect the needed addition to my plants occasionally, we’re prone to neglect what we know will bring growth in our spiritual lives. It takes too much effort. We may be very thirsty and know we need a drink from the Living Fountain of God’s Word, but it’s just easier to go talk to a friend about my issues. We’re content with a little splash of water – a quick prayer, a light reading of Scripture without a real longing to commune with our Savior.

Sometimes our loving “Gardener” will bring a trial that will force growth. We’re pushed to the Word every day because it becomes our very sustenance. We can’t survive without it and we are very aware of need. For weeks, perhaps months our lives sprout under the nourishment of God’s Word. Jeremiah 15:16 says, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart; for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.”

After the trial, have you ever found yourself feeling not so needy and falling back into your comfortable routine of neglect? We all have to guard our hearts so that we continue to grow by delighting in the Word. We are preparing for the next trial before it arrives. Psalm 119:80 – Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed. When the next trial comes, we will find that are heart is “sound” or secure in the Word. We have new blooms, so to speak. They’ve come gradually by the meditating of the word (Psalm 119:11) and we won’t be ashamed, in other words, we won’t fall apart and come unglued because we didn’t know how to apply the Scriptures to our situation.

The missionary Amy Carmichael said this about spiritual growth:
“Sometimes when we read the words of those who have been more than conquerors, we feel almost despondent. I feel that I shall never be like that. But they won through step by step by little bits of wills little denials of self little inward victories by faithfulness in very little things. They became what they are. No one sees these little hidden steps. They only see the accomplishment, but even so, those small steps were taken. There is no sudden triumph no spiritual maturity. That is the work of the moment. “

We’ll never be done with growing until we reach heaven’s shores; it’s a slow yet deliberate process. There’s no Miracle Gro remedy for us as there is for my plants, but growth is certain if we just do what we know we need to do with our gracious Savior’s enablement.

What are you doing today to promote growth in your spiritual life? I’d love to hear about how you study the Word to keep it fresh!