Mini Novel Abigail 4- The Answer

After a long speech, but full of wisdom, Abigail was expecting a positive response and for David to accept the gift.

David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, 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. Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak.”

Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace. I have heard your words and granted your request.”

Abigail was fast and secured in her words and so she saved her entire house of death. She came home blessed, but what was she expecting?

When Abigail went to Nabal, he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until daybreak. Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone.

Nabal was a bad man, he didn’t fear God and did not want to change. He was proud, selfish and stubborn and did not value his wife and he only wanted to know about parties and drunkenness.

After about ten days, the Lord struck Nabal and he died.

Abigail deserved to be happy, God saw her loyalty and had a blessing for her. Did she imagine what it was? I don’t think so, because she never asked God for it.

When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise be to the Lord, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal’s wrongdoing down on his own head.”

David remembered all the good that Abigail had done for him, he wanted somehow to repay her, he admired her as a woman, her attitude of faith and courage delighted David.

He wanted to make a proposal; he would not pass up the opportunity. "How can I talk to her, I have to find a way, she is a special woman."

David had something in mind; meanwhile Abigail continued her life alone, at least now God had freed her from the suffering of the evil Nabal.

In fact, God had a plan for her; I wonder what will happen now?

(Continues next Monday)

Mini Novel Abigail 3- Wise Woman

Everyone was tense with everything that was happening, but Nabal seemed not to be so concerned, he was not one to show weakness, he was too prideful to ask for help or ask for an opinion.

Abigail had to be quick, She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys. And said to her servants: "Go on before me: I will follow you from nearby," but failed to declare to Nabal, her husband.

Abigail acted with wisdom, if she would have told Nabal, everything would be lost, he would have never accepted it.

As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them. David had just said, “It’s been useless—all my watching over this fellow’s property in the wilderness so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good. May God deal with David,[c] be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!”

When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground. She fell at his feet and said: “Pardon your servant, my lord, and let me speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name means Fool, and folly goes with him. And as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my lord sent. And now, my lord, as surely as the Lord your God lives and as you live, since the Lord has kept you from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, may your enemies and all who are intent on harming my lord be like Nabal. And let this gift, which your servant has brought to my lord, be given to the men who follow you.

“Please forgive your servant’s presumption. The Lord your God will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because you fight the Lord’s battles, and no wrongdoing will be found in you as long as you live. Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my lord will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God, but the lives of your enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling. When the Lord has fulfilled for my lord every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him ruler over Israel, my lord will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the Lord your God has brought my lord success, remember your servant.”

Abigail made an impressive speech full of wisdom, but was it convincing enough to change David’s mind?

What would be David's response to all this, will he accept the gesture and Abigail’s words?

(Continued on next Monday)

Picture with a message - Caleb

Last Saturday we had our monthly event with the "Caleb" group which is for older people, those which have more age but just as Caleb in them have a renewed and strong spirit.

It is always fun to share with them these moments, and so I share with all of you today this picture with a very special person, her name is Mrs. Dora, when she came to the church, she suffered from a severe depression due to the death of her husband, but today she is the happiest person in church.

Even though she is 78 years old, she's always early, takes a seat in the first chair, she's very enthusiastic, and when she sings she "wow's" people, she loves to always be involved, she loves to share her testimony, sing at every event, she's lots of fun!

Everyone in the church loves her and admire that she always wears these peculiar and outgoing hats, she always wears them to come to Gods house, and boy does she look great in them!

This day she asked me to put the hat on and take a picture with her, of course I obeyed, I also do what she asks of me.

Her faith and disposition is very admirable, we see with her that age doesn't have to "tire" our spirit, on the contrary, we become better and grow a much more intimate relationship with God, this spirit is contagious to all those around her.

Enjoy the pictures taken of our lovely Mrs.Dora!

Picture with a message - The Assistants

Surely our church wouldn't be the same without the assistants who help daily and do the work of God with so much love, they make all the difference, how could we reach out to so many people and help them, and be successful and be able to accomplish our huge responsibilities without the indispensable help of all of them? The church needs assistants, that's the truth, but it needs them to be spiritual.

It's a sad fact when we hear of assistants that gave up and became discourage and abandoned their faith.

Be attentive and be very careful with the yeast, because add just a little bit and the mass grows, flee from gossip, from the malicious ones, of the ones that think about things of the flesh, of those that like to criticize the work of God, and then men of God, and don't forget that it's Satan who utilizes his traps to destroy, and on top of it all he tries to attack in a subtle way, without making any noise, so that you won't notice that it's him and fall in his traps.

So don't ever loose focus on serving God and don't allow the devil to take away your purity, your talent, and most of all your crown.

Let's keep our eyes on one objective.

Picture with a message - Fraternal love

When I reunite with certain friends who I rarely see and miss, I take advantage of the opportunity to hug them a lot.

Today we are going to talk about fraternal love, but could it be that kind of love refers itself to kisses and hugs? No, when the bible refers to fraternal love, it's directing to loving people without any interest, it's something of sacrifice, not just a feeling but something of action and dedication.

It's evident that many kiss and hug, but they never do anything for anyone, they never think of helping, or extending their hand out to others, they don't even notice others needs, and this, just isn't love.

Fraternal love is giving without expecting nothing in return, it's sincere, it doesn't judge, it doesn't desire bad upon anyone, knows how to forgive, understands, has good eyes, is patient, and everything that might be good to add to a relationship , and that's why it has nothing to do with physical affection, although it might exist.

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10 NIV)

Mini Novel Abigail 2-The Request

And so Nabal’s and Abigail’s life’s continued, Nabal always partying and Abigail was always put second.

One day David was in the dessert of Paran. He had already been anointed by God to be king, although he was not yet occupying that position, as he was fleeing from King Saul who sought to kill him so that he wouldn’t take his place. David sent some messengers to Nabal to try to get some food.

"Good morning sir, we are sent by David, who wants to know how you are doing and sent us to say “Long life to you! Good health to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours!" said the messengers a bit scared, knowing the infamy of Nabal.

“Speak then, I have no time to waste," Nabal answered with the harshness that characterized him.

David had called to say the following words: “Now I hear that it is sheep-shearing time. When your shepherds were with us, we did not mistreat them, and the whole time they were at Carmel nothing of theirs was missing. Ask your own servants and they will tell you. Therefore be favorable toward my men, since we come at a festive time. Please give your servants and your son David whatever you can find for them.”

When the messengers arrived they told Nabal all these words on behalf of David, and fell silent.

“Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days.”

“Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where.” Nabal responded.

So the servants of David went on their way and arriving, they came to announce all these words.

"My lord, Nabal is a rude man and is not going to help us."

David said to his men, “Each of you strap on your sword!” So they did, and David strapped his on as well. About four hundred men went up with David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.”

One of the Servants, however, announced to Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying “David sent messengers from the wilderness to give our master his 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 the whole time we were herding our sheep near them. 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.”

The words of the servant seemed fair to Abigail’s ears, she knew her husband's character and since she was a wise women and kind she had to think of a strategy before a misfortune occurred.

Although he was bad, she was not going to take revenge or take advantage of the situation to destroy him.

After all it wasn’t good to become enemies with the future king of Israel, she knew very well her husband was wrong. How would she resolve this issue and deliver her stubborn and obstinate husband?

(Continues next Monday)