David had trouble on top of trouble. Abigail gave him advice. She likened life in a particular way: being bound in the bundle of life. It made David see who was bound with him.
I Samuel 23: 14 And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand. 25: 28 I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the Lord, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days. 29 Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.
A lot went on in these chapters. Saul was zealous of David. The Lord had his hand on David, but Saul was not living right so God withdrew his hand. David tried to do his best by Saul. The more David tried, the worse Saul was. Sometimes the more you seek to learn and search after God, the more things seems to fly apart. Instead of feeling free, you feel burdened down. God warned that these times would be hard. Society, nature, rules and laws—every aspect of life—puts pressure on us. It’s like being bound in a bundle.
David was hiding in caves. His men got hungry and approached Nabal for food and kindness. His response was who is this David? and who is this God of David? David and his men were in a time of need. Sometimes we try to find help in our time of need and doors are slammed in our face. You can hardly trust anything outside the Word and God. Sometimes we can’t even trust our own family. It’s truly a time of terror. The pressure is on.
Did you ever wake up with the covers all tangled around you? It’s hard to get untangled. Abigail told David that’s how his life was. Nabal was making trouble. Saul was making trouble. It seemed everybody was after him. Do you ever get that feeling? Life can be like that. Isaiah told of a man who ran from a lion only to run into a bear and then stopped for rest and a snake was there. Worries and problems abound. The devil tries to discourage us. He tempts us. Right when we need it, God sends an Abigail. Wherever David went God was with him. In the cave—God was there. Under the rocks—God was there. Regardless where David was, God was wrapped up with him. Verses 33-34 state and blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand. For in very deed, as the Lord God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee…. Abigail wasn’t interceding just to help her husband. She helped David too.
When I was young playing in the hay I didn’t realize how heavy a bale of hay was. All bundled it’s another story. Sometimes life is light as a feather, but sometimes it’s bundled up and heavy. It doesn’t mean God is mad at us. Sometime it may be due to sin, but sometimes that has nothing to do with it. Be thankful for good days. Worse days may come. A better day is surely coming. Abigail told David he’d not have to worry soon, but right now he was bound and reminded him that God was there.
Sometimes we think we can puppet our life and pull the strings how we want them. We cannot. We face the consequences of our decisions. Sometimes, however, things come for no apparent reason. We don’t know what’s coming but we do know that when life wraps us tight, we have someone with us. Abigail said David was wrapped in a bundle with his enemies, but God was there. Don’t lose faith. God is closer than the enemies we face. The devil would have us think God is far away, but he’s between us and the enemy. Don’t get hung up on defeat. Don’t let the pressures hang you. God is there.
Now is a good time to embrace the Lord. Any sin can be forgiven. Difficulties can be taken care of because God is in the bundle.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 