The Hand of Grace

 DEVOTION

1^ST  SAMUEL

THE HAND OF GRACE

1 Sam 25:36-44

36 When Abigail went to Nabal, he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing until daybreak. 37 Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone. 38 About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal and he died. 39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, "Praise be to the LORD, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal's wrongdoing down on his own head." Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife. 40 His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, "David has sent us to you to take you to become his wife." 41 She bowed down with her face to the ground and said, "Here is your maidservant, ready to serve you and wash the feet of my master's servants." 42 Abigail quickly got on a donkey and, attended by her five maids, went with David's messengers and became his wife. 43 David had also married Ahinoam of Jezreel, and they both were his wives. 44 But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David's wife, to Paltiel son of Laish, who was from Gallim.

NIV

This might be a love story about David and Abigail, although how could David fall in love so quickly after only having one brief moment when Abigail beseeched him to hold his hand from bloodshed and killing her husband and all the males in the town. But the real story is about Nabal, the surly, mean, and abusive man who rejected David's request for any help he could provide concerning food for David's troops. Then this selfish man holds a feast as if he were a king, drinking and making merry, celebrating himself. However, when he found out about her going to David with all those supplies, his heart failed and he passed out, became unconscious, and then in ten days the LORD struck Nabal and he died. The LORD fought the battle for David without David lifting a hand against Nabal. This is where our lesson rests. The Lord will fight our battles as well. Sometimes we think that we must strike out, trying to vindicate ourselves from what we think was an offense against us. Sometimes, we might decide to hold a grudge, if only for a few days, to cause discomfort to whoever we think harmed us or hurt our feelings. Sometimes we might what the help of an army, citing how others think the same way we do, to prove our just cause of unforgiveness. David was relieved that the LORD upheld his cause against Nabal for treating him with contempt. We should always turn to the Lord with praise and honor and know that He is the Almighty God of heaven and earth, and his power is immeasurable. He holds the life of each of us in his hands. He decided Nabal was not worthy to live because of his treatment of others, and to show David how his mighty power worked for him. The Lord wants to do mighty works for us and in us and through us, but we must forsake our own efforts of battle against those who might offend us or hurt our feelings, or reject our thoughts, disagree with us, or however else that we think wrongs us. The Lord is clear that we must always forgive, for if we do not forgive that person, he will not forgive us. That is harsh, but it is true, and we need to be aware of how we treat each other, with mutual respect and out of love, which includes mercy, compassion, forgiveness, and holding our hand from striking out. Abigail brought peace in a bad situation, and as a result of her gentle heart, the Lord rewarded her by becoming the wife of David, the Lord lifted her up for her hand of grace toward David, and the LORD struck down Nabal for his hand of rejection against David. Let us always be about extending the hand of grace.