Change of direction in a ravine. 1 Sam 25
I’ve spoken from this scripture before, but it has come to me again. The story of Abigail (means Father’s joy or giver of joy) rescuing her husband’s household from David and his men.
As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men ‘descending’ towards her, and she met them, 1 Sam 25:20. David, the future king was descending, coming downwards in the ravine (the steep, sided rocky gorge). God ordained it so they had to meet in that enclosed space and it was mainly for David’s future destiny.
David had just said, ‘It’s been useless — all my watching over this fellow’s property…. 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’.
Abigail bowed down before David with her face to the ground. She wanted to stop David but she humbled herself greatly before him, so that he would listen to her.
Now since the Lord has kept you from bloodshed and ‘from avenging yourself’ with your own hands. And let this gift, … be given to you and your men. V25,26.
Abigail continued her plea in verse 28, “Let no wrongdoing be found in you as long as you live”. We all have choices to make and those choices will affect our future and possibly our children’s future. Taking matters into our own hands and avenging ourselves may feel good at the time, but the wrongs done in anger(quick fix, focusing destruction on something we dislike) have a way of catching up with us.
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 judgement and for keeping me… from avenging myself with my own hands”.
Abigail provided provision for David’s present, a gift to appease him, but she also stopped him from aborting his future in the Lord. May we be open to the prompting and leading of God in our lives today, to keep us from reacting and overreacting in haste and bitterness. Humility and wisdom won the day. David and his men turned away from the path of revenge.
Happy and blessed Saint Patrick’s Day.