365 Blessings- September 16

David said to Abigail, "Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. Otherwise, as surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak.” (1 Samuel 25:32-34)

Nabal was a stubborn character who had scant respect for David though David and the men with him were a shield to the flocks of Nabal. David had decided to take revenge because Nabal had insulted him. He said, “, "It's been useless--all my watching over this fellow's property in the desert so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good. May God deal with David, be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!” (1 Samuel 25:21, 22)

To the rescue came Abigail, Nabal’s wife who hastened to meet David while he and his men set out to kill Nabal and all the males in his family. She fell at his feet and begged for mercy. She dealt wisely with him and said, "Now since the LORD has kept you, my master, from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, as surely as the LORD lives and as you live, may your enemies and all who intend to harm my master be like Nabal. And let this gift, which your servant has brought to my master, be given to the men who follow you. Please forgive your servant's offense, for the LORD will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my master, because he fights the LORD's battles. Let no wrongdoing be found in you as long as you live. Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my master will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the LORD your God. But the lives of your enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling. (1 Samuel 25:26-29)

Abigail’s words were like a balm for the hurts that David had sustained because of Nabal’s insulting behavior. She was able to persuade David from destroying her entire family though Nabal died because of God’s judgment coming upon him. David praised God for her good judgment and for keeping him from bloodshed. He blessed her for acting wisely.

We read in the book of Proverbs that, “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” (Proverbs 25:11). How true when we think of how this woman spoke to bring deliverance for her family. Praise the Lord.