Be Prepared for What God has in Store for You

Abigail, Nabal, and David:  Did you know that God wrote a "happily ever after" fairy tale long before Disney?  The story can be found in 2 Samuel 25:2-42 but here's my paraphrase:

David was hiding from Saul.  David had been chosen by God, to be King, but it was not yet time for him to rule.  However, just knowing David had been chosen, Saul was jealous and was seeking to harm David.  So David and his men were hiding in the wilderness and in the valley, below where they were hiding, there were shepards and herdsmen who worked for a man by the name of Nabal.  According to the scripture, Nabal means fool and, if you read the story, you'll see that he lives up to his name.

Now, while David and his men are hiding from Saul, they have also been providing protection for Nabal's men and livestock.  One day, the men are hungry so David sends to Nabal asking for provisions.  Basically Nabal tells David and his men to take a flying leap which, of course, doesn't go over too well with David.

When David hears about Nabal's reply, he is so angry he vows to kill every male on the property (and we're not just talking men... We're talking livestock as well).  When Abigail, Nabal's wife hears about what happened and that David and his men are on their way, she goes into her pantry and prepares a feast.  She takes all that she prepared and meets David's entourage, falling on her face, and apologizes for her husband's behavior.  David accepts Abigail's gifts and calls off the attack.

Abigail returns home to find Nabal partying and he is very drunk so she doesn't say anything until morning.  In the morning, when Abigail tells Nabal what she had done, he has a stroke and the scripture says, "Ten days later, God struck Nabal and he died."

When David hears that Nabal has died, he sends messengers to Abigail saying that he wants her to be his wife.

There are several things to be learned from this story but one of the things that was pointed out in a Bible study that I attended was, Abigail was prepared.  I mean, really... how many of us would be able to reach into our pantry and prepare enough food for an entourage of soldiers?  And, she was wise... she thought of a plan and executed the plan.  

I guess what I'm saying is women of the Bible are strong. Some seem to think that women were insignificant in the Bible but they were worker bees.  The woman of Proverbs 31 bought and sold property and kept her lamp burning at night while she wove her own cloth and sewed rich clothing for her family.

So, be encouraged today.  You are a princess... a child of the King.  You are beautiful, strong, and intelligent.  Use the resources God has given you to be the best wife you can be even if you don't feel your husband deserves it because that is what God requires of us.  And pray, pray, pray... pray without ceasing and never quit preparing your heart for the adventures God has in store.  Make your life a life of praise and worship and remember, "my joy comes from the Lord."

"Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised." Prov. 31:30.