Getting Connected:

“Let no Christian parents fall into the delusion
that Sunday School is intended to ease them of their personal duties.
The first and most natural condition of things
is for Christian parents to train up their own children
in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”
Charles Haddon Spurgeon


Getting Connected:

1 Samuel 25:1-42

Following the death of Samuel David moved into the Wilderness of Paran.

The Wilderness of Paran is situated in the eastern central region of the Sinai peninsula, north-east from the traditional Sinai and south-south-east of Kadesh, with the Arabah and the Gulf of Aqabah as its eastern border. It was to this wilderness that Hagar and Ishmael went after their expulsion from Abraham's household (Genesis 21:21). It was crossed by the Israelites following their exodus from Egypt (Numbers 10:12; 12:16), and from here Moses despatched men to spy out the land of Canaan (Numbers 13:3, 26). The wilderness was also traversed by Hadad the Edomite on his flight to Egypt (1 Kings 11:18).

There David encountered the shepherds of the contentious and insolent Nabal. Nabal was a man of great wealth who had little concern for the needs of others. He was a Calebite who is described in the Word as being evil. Nabal’s name literally means “fool,” and in this account, he lived up to it.
When David and his men were passing through Nabal’s territory, they sent a message ahead requesting food to Him. They easily could have simply stolen some of his flock, but they acted righteously and had at times served to help protect his flocks. Nabal was unmoved, prideful and quickly refused their request. David took offense at his refusal, and was ready to wipe out Nabal and all the males of his family and servants.
To his good fortune, he happened to be married to Abigail, a woman who was intelligent, wise, insightful and beautiful. Her intercession with David no doubt saved Nabal’s life.
When Nabal offended David, Abigail took immediate steps to defuse the situation. She prepared a great feast and went out to meet David and his men. The feast was undoubtedly a welcome sight as David and his men were hungry and tired from being pursued by Saul and his army. The act of kindness acted to calm David and diverted him from seeking vengeance on Nabal.
When we intercede for another by meeting the needs of the one being offended, we establish a connection with them just as Abigail did with David.
When Abigail returned home she found her husband drunk. She wisely waited until he was sober before revealing what she had done. Her decisive actions in meeting the needs of David’s men, and speaking humbly before David, preserved her husband and family. When Abigail shared what she had done, Nabal’s “heart died within him so he became like a stone.” Ten days later he died.
David never forgot this encounter, and was greatly impressed with Abigail’s Godly demeanor and wisdom. She had demonstrated patients and submission in facing a stressful time. Her quick thinking, wisdom and problem solving skills were apparent to him; so-much-so that after Nabal’s death, David took her as his wife. Her leadership saved her family and secured her future… all through making the connection to David’s needs.
Relational skills are essential in the kingdom of God. Jesus brought focus to this point when he summarized kingdom life in two phrases:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart…
Love your neighbor as yourself…
Matthew 22:37-40
The kingdom revolves around our faith put into action through the building of relationships.
Our first and foremost responsibility is to commit to establishing and maintaining our relationship with the Lord.
From that relationship will flow the naturally supernatural relationships with others. The kingdom is all about building relationships.
People will welcome your witness for Christ once you have earned the right to speak into their lives by building a relationship with them.

We can learn a lot about life from this account of Abigail.
Abigail was ready to take the initial steps necessary, despite the risk, to resolve the problem facing her.
She made a connection with David by showing him deference, she admitted the wrong, and humbly asked David’s directly for the forgiveness for her husband’s actions.
She suggested to David that he would be wise not to kill her husband, so that his conscience would be free.
She encouraged David and acknowledged his anointing as king over Israel.
She assumed the responsibility for her husband’s sinful behavior.
She made a connection with David by focusing on his needs.
Abigail exemplified a generous spirit in the gifts that she brought.

Abigail in Hebrew means “the father’s joy.” I imagine that when we act with such restraint and wisdom, we too bring our heavenly Father great joy.

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