When Things Don’t Go as You Had Planned
1 Samuel 25

Verse 1 – “Now Samuel had died, and all Israel assembled and mourned for him.”

Verse 44 – “But Saul had given his daughter, Michal, David’s wife, to Paltiel.”

Verse 1 – “Then David moved down into the Desert of Maon.”

Verses 2-4 – “A certain man in Maon, who had property there at Carmel was very wealthy . . . his name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband was surly and mean in his dealing.”

Verse 8 – “Be favorable to my young men, since we come at a festive time. Please give your servants and your son David whatever you can find for them.”

Verse 10 – “Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse?"

Verse 11 – “Why should I take my bread and the meat I have slaughtered and give it to men coming from who knows where?”

Verse 14 – “One of the servants told Nabal’s wife, Abigail: David sent messengers from the desert to give our master greetings. But he hurled insults at them. Yet these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing. Night and day they were a wall around us all the time we
were herding our sheep. Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked man, that no one can talk to him.”

Verse 18 – “She took 200 loaves of bread, 2 skins of wine, 5 dressed sheep, 5 seahs of roasted grain, 100 cakes of raisins, and 200 cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys.”

Verse 21 – “It’s been useless. All my watching over this fellow’s property in the desert so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good."

Verse 23 – “She fell on her face before David and bowed herself to the ground.”

Verse 25 – “Look David. We all know Nabal is a fool. I know he’s a fool, you know he’s a fool. Why sink to his level?"

Verse 26 – “Now since the Lord has kept you, my master, from bloodshed and avenging yourself with your own hands.”

Verse 31 – “My master will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself.”

Verse 32 – “David said to Abigail, Praise be to the Lord who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands.”

Verse 35 – “Go home in peace. I have heard your words and granted your request.”

I. If you haven't built some balance into your life, you will crash and burn.

II. Anger will assault you. Be on guard.

III. Take the long-term view.

IV. Personal restraint makes a way for God to work.