GRACE AND BITTERNESS

As I was reading the book of Samuel the other day I came across this, it had never caught my attention till I read it again, in the book of 1 Samuel There is a woman named Abigail who had to decide between grace and bitterness. Abigail all her life she dealt with hardship and negative people, rejection, and it seems that life was very hard for her. But in all of this she remained steady. And because of her steadiness it impacted on the life of David. Now David is the one who defeated Goliath, and became king of Israel, and even though he fell and failed many times, God said he was a man after His own heart. He is the David from whose bloodline Jesus would come. Abigail is not mentioned or talked about much today. I’m not sure why. She was married to Nabal — who’s name literally means “fool” in Hebrew — who deeply offended David. David and his men had protected his herds, and it was a feast day, he sent Nabal a message asking for his “favor,” requesting special festive food. Now here the word used is Chen The Hebrew root word for favour, which also means “grace.” But Nabal said no to David and did not give him the food. And Nabal certainly did not show him favour or grace. Instead, he answered with an angry rejection of David. So David, in turn, promised to kill Nabal and all the men that belong to him. Of Course this is a horrible situation caused by her husband’s character and words that deeply affected Abigail. And it wasn’t just this that was so hard on her. I’m sure Nabal’s cruelty and stupidity spilled in her direction many times more than to anyone else. She Most assuredly felt rejected over and over again in her marriage. And then also by the people who really wanted nothing to do with the wife of such a foolish man. But instead of allowing this to fill her up with insecurity, she allowed stability to fill her with grace. The more she was hurt, the more she learned how to help others who were hurt. Here, she found a way to give David the food and also the kindness Nabal had not given him. She gave from what she did not have, from that empty place that had been dug because of her life but that God had so graciously filled. With such a big space for grace, she went to David, the man who was about to kill her family and her servants, and she went and bowed in front of him. As I read it, I said Lord teach me to have her character. But, I tell you it is hard to react like this in the middle of those moments of hurt. I was astonished how well Abigail dealt with it. I found myself trying to resist “grace” in her story. But as we read, we see that her first words to David are so beyond what many of us would not have uttered in this situation: On me alone, my lord, be the blame. — 1 Samuel 25:24 I believe that many of us read this and clench our teeth. Remember this is not her fault it’s someone else’s fault. We could say well Cast the blame on Nabal he is the fool here in this story or put the blame on David, He’s the hot-headed one, that is going to carry out his threat. But not Abigail. She has already had to fight and struggle under the weight of her unfair life. Here she chooses and places herself between her foolish husband and a crazed and hungry David, takes on the blame on herself and we see that it clearly wasn’t hers to bear. We see that She is the victim. She is the one who had her normality of life ripped right out from her. One minute shes trying to make the best of her life and then a servant comes and tells her that David is going to kill every one in her house. How do you respond to news like that, all her life she has had deal with unfairness and rejection, But instead of bowing to anger, cynicism, blame — who are often the fruits of living rejected — she chooses grace. How did she process this in such a healthy way? Was it the memories of rejection in her heart and she could not bear any one else feeling like that, was it the stench of bitter feelings she despised and would not allow any one else feeling that, I don’t know, I don’t know we are not privy to her feelings or details. But I do see one thing that is an immediate cooperation with grace. In her giving grace doesn’t justify her husband or validate David but It saves her. Her grace stops David cold in his tracks and it makes the men who have their swords in hand and only death on their minds, stop and pause. Really what a scene that must have been. Even though she is bowed low, grace gives her the upper hand. She literally refuses to be a victim of circumstance, and of something she cant change. But she changes what she can. We can not hold up the banners of victim and victory at the same time it’s impossible. But with victory on her mind, she comes before David and bows low and with immense courage, she allows the mantle of blame to fall on her shoulders. In all of this I see she’s the only one strong enough to do so and handle it. The humiliation of being married to a man named a Fool had secretly worked something good deep within Abigail’s soul. The more she cooperated with grace, the more her humiliation turned into humility. Humility can’t be bought at a bargain price. It’s the long working of grace upon grace within the hurts of our hearts. Humility gave Abigail the greatest advantage in this life-and- death conversation with David. Humility opens the ears of opportunity.
May God Bless you
Amen amen amen