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 judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak.”
Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace. I have heard your words and granted your request.”
Abigail was a lifesaver…literally! She stood before David in order to spare her family, but in doing so she also kept David from acting out in anger and making a decision he could likely regret later. God placed Abigail at just the right place, at just the right time, with the exact wisdom needed for a situation that was growing quickly out of hand. David quickly recognized what a gift Abigail’s words and actions were from God and gives thanks and praise to God for her.
As you think about this part of the story, is God bringing to mind an “Abigail” in your own life? Is there someone who is a part of your life or your story whose words and actions have helped to keep you solidly on the path God has for your life? Take some time today to thank God for their wisdom and the role they have played in pointing you to God. And then maybe let the person know you are grateful, too – it is hard to step into those kinds of situations and speak truth boldly in love!
