Choosing GOD’s Best for a Partner
Nabal and Abigail – 1 Samuel 25
Nabal and Abigail were a married couple. As described by one preacher, it used to be an arranged marriage in their days . Women have no right who to choose as a husband or who to marry.
How was Nabal described in the Bible?
- He was a businessman (v2)
- He was a very rich man (v2)
- He had 3,000 sheep and a thousand goats (v2)
- He was a Calebite (v3) (Remember the story of Joshua and Caleb?)
What about his character?
- He was harsh and evil in his dealings (v3)
- He was ungenerous (v7-11)
- He was a drunkard (v36)
- He was described by his own wife as a “worthless man”… tsk..tsk.tsk.. (What a shame it would be that your own partner is telling you that you are worthless because of your character)
- Folly or foolishness is with him (”Nabal, a worthless man, for as his name is, so is he”. v25)
How was Abigail described in the Bible?
- She was an intelligent woman
- She was beautiful in appearance
- She is full of wisdom. She knew how to handle a difficult situation (v.18-19)
- She was respectful. She honors people with due respect (v23)
- She made a way to intercede for her husband’s foolishness (v26-28)
- Her words are full of grace and wisdom (v28-29)
- She was a wife of noble character
- She is full of discernment (v33)
- She knows when to act quickly and how or what to do in a certain situation. (What do we call this character of a woman?)
- She was a peacemaker as described in the chapter of how she talked with David.
- A lady or woman who is patient. A lady who knows how to wait for the right time. She knew that her husband was drunk. She waited for the right time to talk to him about David and what she did to make appease. (”She did not tell Nabal anything at all until the morning light” v36)
I’m wondering if she nagged about this. Or how did she tell her husband about what David said. (If you don’t know the story yet, you better read the whole chapter :-) ) What was her way of telling the issue to her husband?
Although her husband was a fool and probably a pain for her, Abigail was a humble woman and an intelligent wife. She probably have spoken to Nabal about it in a way that does not yell or nag, but a way that would convict his heart or make Nabal realize his mistake. Lord, aren’t women really born this way? tihihi.. That we always want a guy to realize his wrong doing? :-)
WHAT IS THE LESSON FROM THEIR STORY?
About choosing a partner in life.
Do we settle for the good or for GOD’s best?
What matters most in choosing a partner? Is it his riches or his character? Nabal was rich, yet his character was a turnoff.
Characters of a godly wife.
Don’t choose or settle for second best. Choose GOD’s BEST!
It pays to WAIT on the LORD for His BEST!
Now, it makes me wonder about the suffering that Abigail had to go through with the husband she had in Nabal.
The endurance… the pain she had to endure for the errors or the evil ways of her husband.
Oh, how important it is to choose wisely a partner in life.
Not my own choosing, but GOD’s choosing. He knows best.