PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: 1 Samuel 25-26
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“When the Lord has brought my lord success, remember your servant.” (1 Samuel 25:31)
These are teaching stories, and the characters are object lessons.
Nabal and David and Saul are over-confident fools.
Only Abigail, a humble woman, comes out as the truly great.
She repeatedly humbles herself as a servant, showing wisdom and grace.
This is a reminder of God’s wisdom, and our need for humility.
Again and again God raises up the humble and brings down the proud.
Those who are humble and gracious are great in God’s eyes.
The Abigail’s of this world, invisible servants, are the great ones.
Jesus reinforces this message, choosing ‘lowly’ fishermen and women.
We are not called to be great, but to be humble and gracious.
“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:26-28)
The Lord remembers his servants – the truly great ones!
PRAYER
Lord thank you for humbling the proud, and for lifting the humble. Teach me to humble and gracious like you!
Abigail steps in and not only saves her household but saves David from revengeful bloodshed: “May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands.” David recognizes his mistake and accepts Abigail’s gift and turns around. I wonder if Nabal ever knew what a blessing his wife was? David has another opportunity to kill Saul – but he also leaves that up to the Lord: “But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed.” Letting go and letting God take care of it – we need to submit like Abigail and see God’s hand at work!