Farewell to Samuel. I just have to say I was surprised of the brevity of the tribute to Samuel upon his death. He was such a pivotal player for God in this transition in God’s story, our story.
The passage moves on quickly to Abigail doing “what you have to do” to save someone you love, even when they aren’t very lovable in the first place. Her husband, Maon was a rich man, and he was described by one of his servants as, “so ill-tempered that no one can even talk to him!”
I could also reflect on the wrong done to David and how greedy Maon had been. I see the real message coming from Abigail. I also see God’s hand at work all over this story. Starting with the message from Maon’s servant. That was surely God intervening. He knew Abigail was an action taker!
The anger that burned in David was going to lead him to do something in retaliation. That is never the kind of anger God intends for us to feel, much less act upon. Yet, while we do have the human ability to think and reason, we just mess up sometimes. Abigail would have assumed as much because she knew her husband. She knew that he could have been ruthlessly unwelcoming to David’s messengers. Did Maon even realize that he had just put them all in danger?
Have you ever had to act quickly to avoid some calamity, not bothering to consult with everyone involved? It seems like it would be something a parent would do to protect her children. I can remember whisking my children away from an abusive husband one cool spring night. I didn’t take time to think it through, we just grabbed a few things and fled. What about running for your life to avoid a natural disaster? I’m watching friends and acquaintances flee from the wildfires threatening their homes.
Abigail “wasted no time.” She needed to hurry so she could intercept David and try to appease him with her offerings. Would it work? It sounds like she made an intentional choice NOT to tell Maon what she was doing. Of course, he would have stopped her, being totally oblivious to the trouble on its way.
What can we learn from Abigail? The text tells us she was sensible and beautiful. She was also a problem solver and seemed fearless. She was planning to confront David. He was the “enemy” at this point because he was on a mission to destroy Maon’s household.
Maybe she was she a believer. Was the God protecting David the same God she worshiped? We’re not told here. But she took action and that took guts for a woman. Living with a man who was crude and mean had probably hardened her a bit. I know from experience you tend to build a strong wall around yourself when you live with such a “disagreeable” sort of man.
This message from Abigail is timely for me. I’ve been getting the message to stop lingering over the details. Life and business are like a marathon. You have a long time to grow and learn. But if you want to see more “results,” you need to act like it’s a sprint. In other words, don’t linger, do something. Abigail certainly does something.
What are you passionate about doing? Are you doing it regularly?
Let’s pray …
Lord, thank you for your reminder that taking action is a good thing. Help me to see the areas of my life where you are wanting me to grow the most. Show me the way, Lord. Fill me with the passion and boldness to step out in faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
