It is every little girl’s desire to marry a prince. It is Disney to the core, for that perfect man to come in to sweep us off our feet, and to be carried away to a distant land of tall towers, sweet breezes, and beautiful green vistas.
Then life gets in the way, and we find we’ve married a troll. He bullies us, and we give up in despair.
We forget the story of Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel.
1 Samuel 25 tells us Nabal was very wealthy. He owned 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats. Abigail lived in the luxury of her day, with five loyal servants, clothing, and fine food at her disposal. Her husband feasted as a king, enjoying his exalted position in the community.
Yet we read where Nabal was harsh and badly behaved, in contrast to Abigail, who was discerning and beautiful. How she must have been heartbroken to know the man she was tied to for the rest of her life was a disgusting lout!
When Nabal insulted David’s peaceful envoy, it was Abigail who intervened, preventing David from rising up to destroy Nabal and all the males in his household. She even calls her husband a fool, saying that he is just like his name, Nabal, meaning fool.
How different David must have appeared, a man with a strong moral compass and servants that worshipped him!
How devastating it must have been to return to find Nabal in the midst of a drunken feast! A man of honor had stood before her, and a fool lay at her feet.
Yet there was no recourse for Abigail. Change was impossible. She was married to Nabal, and divorce was not an option.
Except that God’s hand makes the impossible possible.
Verse 38 tells us that the Lord struck Nabal and he died. When David heard of this, he sent to Abigail and asked her to become his wife.
From the household of a lout to the arms of a king. How is that for the impossible made possible? When we think there is no escape from our terrible situation, God always has a way out. He is ready to make a way where there is no way.
Our dire circumstances provide no obstacle to God, for he revels in the impossible. That is when he comes into his own.
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Code: FGO.E.23.14.vp
Originally Published: 7-17-14 in Hope