1 Samuel 25:18-20
While on our mission trip I lost my pocket-knife, a gift from a friend. I was very disappointed until, at the end of the day, I looked in the vehicle we had ridden in and found it laying on the floor. What a relief.
Nabal’s rejection of David has incurred the warrior’s wrath. David has called his soldiers to arms and is heading toward Nabal’s home to deal harshly with the man. What did Nabal’s wife, Abigail, do?
The story of Nabal, Abigail and David spans all of 1 Samuel 25. Nabal has missed an opportunity to be blessed, and instead stands in jeopardy of being executed. But Abigail recognizes that gratitude must be shown to David. She is also probably aware that showing David kindness will result in more blessings.
Abigail acts quickly and prepares the gifts of food that David wants, then goes out with them to meet this powerful man. Her actions save her husband’s life, although he is not aware of this until later.
When Nabal finally realizes what he has done, fear (and God) strike him dead. For her kindness, David sends word that he would like to take Abigail as his wife, and she agrees.
Crisis averted (mostly). The blessings once rejected are now received and all is well.
We may, through our own wrong decisions or through inattentiveness, bypass the chance to receive God’s blessings. There are times when we get caught up in our worries or doubts and fail to see what God is offering us.
But the parable of the wedding banquet in Matthew and the story of Abigail show us that God’s blessings do not wither or grow stale. They may pass on to others, or they may be waiting for us to finally claim them. God is abounding in love and mercy, and His abundant blessings are waiting for us to turn to Him and receive them.
As Christians we should never abandon hope. We must work to forget our past mistakes and be attentive and dedicated to serving God, and being receptive to His table of blessings.
DAILY CHALLENGE: Where might you find God’s blessings?
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