A “through the bible” devotion from 1 Samuel 25.
I figure I’ve prayed, “Deliver us from evil” over 20,000 times in my lifetime. And I know God answers that prayer by protecting me from harm, getting me through difficult times, and eventually getting me out of here to be with him in eternity. David’s experience in 1 Samuel 25 reminds me that God sometimes accomplishes this through other people.
David is upset with Nabal, who won’t cough up some food and drink for David’s men who have provided protection during a sheep shearing season. David is so upset that he intends to slaughter the whole bunch of them!
Nabal’s wife, Abigail, gets wind of this, gets a huge gift basket together for David, and begs for forgiveness. Her intercession defuses the situation.
“David said to Abigail, ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me, and blessed be your discernment, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodshed and from avenging myself by my own hand'” (1 Samuel 25:32,33).
Thank God for family and friends who pull me aside before I do or say something I’ll regret. My reaction will probably make things worse. Do I really want to add to the evil in this world? In that moment, yes! But not really. It’s good to have a few folks around to calm me down.
David was right to relent. Nabal gets drunk, has a heart attack (?), and dies. God takes care of the whole situation, as he typically does.
Waite for it... 