Help! My spouse was ideal for my past but unfit for my present and future! There are many people who will find themselves in the above scenario. He or she was okay when you got married. But now, you have grown and he or she has refused to grow and you are in a dilemma. He or she was perfect for your past but unfit for the present and almost a precarious partner for the future! There are many people who got married to where they were without taking into consideration where they were going. What can we glean from the life of Abigail? 1Sa 25:3 KJV Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb. Here is a background of what happened. David, the future king of Israel and his men were on the run. Prophet Samuel has just died, and he had to run away from King Saul who was after his life. So they hibernated in the wilderness of Paran, and this was also where Nabal was pasturing a great herd of goats and sheep. Somehow, his pasture was protected because of David and his men. So there came a time of shearing for Nabal, and David sent to him that he should send him and his band of 600 men something to eat. Nabal replied him, denied David and his men and then insulted them as well. In a fit of rage, David took a large number of his men and was ready for a bloody revenge. Abigail intercepted him and saved her family and others by appeasing David. When Abigail saw David, without a word, she fell on her face before him, bowing herself to the ground. Falling at his feet, Abigail delivered the most humble, heartfelt plea for David to spare her husbands household. She admitted that her husband was a man of bad character but she also reminded David that his life was in the hands of God. Abigails humble response turned Davids heart. He saw the error he was about to make. Who exactly is Abigail and what lessons can we glean from his life? 1. SHE IS A WOMAN OF UNDERSTANDING She married a fool and yet she held the home together. (Pro 14:1 KJV) Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands. (Pro 14:1 CEV) A womans family is held together by her wisdom, but it can be destroyed by her foolishness. One of the most difficult things in this world is to be married to a fool. His foolishness will be a constant factor to deal with. Most women would have given up under the weight of that foolishness. Who is a fool? A fool is someone who refuses to believe and acknowledge the supremacy of God. A fool hath said in his heart there is no God…. Married women, if you find yourself in circumstances where your husband is a direct opposite of what you wished, don’t give up, rather be courageous and God will give you wisdom and help. Singles, the moment you see signs of unrepentant foolishness, don’t dabble into such in or else the consequences will be waiting! 2. SHE IS A WOMAN OF FAIR COUNTENANCE She is beautiful to look at. She takes care of herself. Looking good should be your priority as a wife. When you take care of yourself, your husband wouldn’t be looking outside the home. Learn to dress for your husband at home, he is moved by what he sees! 3. SHE IS QUICK, STRUCTURED, AND ORGANIZED 1Sa 25:18 KJV Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses. If Abigail could do this without consulting her husband, she was probably a resourceful wife and she lived up to the Proverbs 31 woman. Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.” (Prov. 31:11-13) 4. SHE IS RESPECTFUL 1Sa 25:23-24 KJV (23) And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, (24) And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid. She was submissive and she understood the cultural implication of what her husband did. She knew her husband’s household and the lives of other men were in gross danger. But her words and wisdom saved several lives. 5. SHE IS A PATIENT WOMAN Her husband was a fool, yet the Bible says he was very great. Pro 15:2 MSG Knowledge flows like spring water from the wise; fools are leaky faucets, dripping nonsense. (Pro 15:2 GW) The tongues of wise people give good expression to knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out a flood of stupidity. She coped with that stupidity because of the marriage covenant. She must have had enough excuses to give up on the marriage. But she did not. Despite her husband’s foolishness which should have truncated his wealth, he was still very great. This must be the wife’s input. 6. SHE RECOGNIZES OPPORTUNITY She did not despise David even though her husband had more possessions than David at that particular time. She could see a future grace and anointing as the next King of Israel and she deferred to David We will stop here for today. As singles and married couples, go over the story again and you will be able to learn a lot virtues in the story. If you are single, you can still avoid getting hooked to the wrong person. If you are already married and find yourself in this scenario, remember that God will always make a way where there seems to be no way! I pray for you this day that God will send help to you in specific ways that will minister to your greatest needs! CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I declare that I am suitable, adapted and complementary to my spouse. PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Father I pray in the name of Jesus that you will help me to be suitable, adapted and complementary to my spouse. THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Gen 2:18 AMP Now the Lord God said, It is not good (sufficient, satisfactory) that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper meet (suitable, adapted, complementary) for him. ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Read about Abigail
Posted on: Sat, 02 Nov 2013 10:32:29 +0000
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