Abigail's Faith

Abigail’s Faith


We do not know a lot about Abigail. We learn what we do know in 1 Samuel 25. God’s word tells us she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance. It also tells us she was married to Nabal, a churlish (harsh), foolish, evil, son of Belial (wicked man). How in the world did these two hook up? I do not know if Abigail chose to marry Nabal or if she was forced to. According to the customs back then more than likely she had to. By reading this chapter it appears that regardless of how it came to be Abigail accepted the state she was in.If Abigail was downhearted, depressed, bitter, angry, or suffering from poor me syndrome, I do not think God’s word would say she had a beautiful countenance. Can you imagine the kind of faith it took for Abigail to be married to this man, day in and day out? His very name means fool. Her name means cause of joy. Abigail was faithful in every way.She was faithful to her God. In her plea to David we find out that she knows He is God’s man. In verses 28-31 she tells him she knows evil has not been found in him, that he is running from Saul who wants to kill him, that Saul will not prevail, and that the Lord will keep all he has spoken concerning David, and make him ruler over Israel. Not only does she know all of this, she BELIEVES it! Abigail had faith in her God. Abigail was faithful to her undeserving husband. Do you think this was the first time she had to run interference for Nabal? This may have been the first time her life was on the line, but no way was it the first time she had to clean up his mess. What Grace and respect she bestows on such a wicked man. Abigail could not have been so faithful to her husband had she not first accepted her situation and then accepted God’s help. She had faith that the Lord would help her be a Godly wife. She was faithful to her husband because she loved and believed in her God. Abigail was faithful to those she was responsible for. In verse 14 one of the young men came and told Abigail what had happened. He says to Abigail “he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him”. No doubt this young man knew he could confide in Abigail and knew she would take care of him, and everyone else in the household. He had seen her kindness and faithfulness day after day. He had faith in Abigail because she had proven herself faithful. She had faith the Lord would enable her to do what needed to be done in the trivial matters of every day life as well as the “an army of 400 is coming to kill us” matters. Abigail was faithful to God’s man. She knew all that was going on with David. She knew he and his men had a physical need for provisions. More importantly though, she knew David needed to be disarmed. Samuel had just died. No doubt David was still mourning over him. He is still running from Saul, and he asks for some food from a man whose flocks David himself has been protecting. Not only was Nabal a fool, he had horrible timing. That was the last straw for David. David was coming to kill Nabal and possibly everyone else. Abigail risked her life (not to mention what she had to deal with when she got home and told Nabal what she had done) to stand in the gap for God’s man. I do not doubt it was God that spoke to David that day through Abigail. She threw herself at his feet in reverence to her future king. Her words and her Godly wisdom soothed his soul and appeased his anger. She had kept David from making a horrible mistake. Abigail had faith in God’s man because he was faithful to God.Abigail was faithful to God’s will for her life. When Nabal dies David asks Abigail to be his wife and she accepts. You might think “Hello he is king of course she accepts!” David was not king yet. He had nothing. That is why he sent for food. He had nothing. He was living in the wilderness running from a crazy king who wanted him dead. Abigail was very wealthy. She no doubt had a nice home, nice clothes, nice things. But Abigail already knew what Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:18 “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” Look at verses 41 and 42. “And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.” Nabal was gone and she did not have to contend with him anymore. She could have stayed in her nice home with her nice things and all of her servants and lived very comfortably. Instead she makes haste to marry God’s man who has nothing and is currently unemployed, living in the wilderness, and running for his life.. Not only is it her desire to serve her husband, she desires to serve all the servants of her lord (lowercase l in lord meaning her husband). Abigail is literally willing to wash the feet of her husband’s servants! Abigail had faith in where her Lord had called her and what he had called her to.When Abigail was confronted with this whole mess she did not scream and yell about what a fool her husband was, she didn’t fall to pieces and sob until her eyes swelled. Abigail made haste. There was a job to be done and she had just enough faith to do it. Abigail’s faith had increased to the point that we find her racing head on into an army of 400 warriors whose leader is TICKED OFF at her husband! That is what I call faith in action. Lord, I thank you for Abigail and the encouragement she gives us. Jesus, I want this kind of faith, and I want my sisters in Christ to have it too. Increase our faith, Lord, so we may face our warriors and do great and mighty things for You. Amen.Alan and I leave for Costa Rica the 25th. We will be back on the 4th. It is my desire to get a devotional out for the week of the 3rd. We will leave this up to the Lord. If I do not get one out they will resume on the 10th. Please keep the kids and us in your prayers and pray we will be a blessing to the ministries in Costa Rica.