1Samuel25
WhenGodSendsaPeacemaker…Listen!
Emotionallydrivendecisionsarepoordecisions.Weallknowthisbecausemostofusonlyneedto
lookbackasfarasourlastbaddecisiontoseethatemotionsweredrivingmuchofwhatwedid.As
weturnto1Samuel25thisweek,wewatchDavidstraponhisswordandheadinthedirectionof
takingoutamanwhohefelthadn’ttreatedhimfairly.ItwaswhileDavidwasinroutetodo
somethingthatwouldhavecarriedwithitrepercussionsandregretslongaftertheactwasfinished,
thatGodwouldsendapeacemakertostepinthepathofanemotionallychargedman.Abigailcomes
ontothesceneandmodelswhatapeacemakerlookslike.SheguidesDavidtowardaGodhonoring
decisionandsheguardsDavidfromdoingsomethingthatwouldleavelastingregret.Thebeautyof
thisstoryisthatDavidlistenstothisGod-sentpeacemaker.
Sowhatwillthislooklikeforus?Dowehavepeacemakersinourlife?Peoplewhocanstepintothe
emotionfilledmomentsoflifeandguideustowarddecisionsthathonorChristandguardusfrom
decisionsthatwillleaveusfullofregret.Andmaybethebiggestquestion,whenGodsendsusthese
people,willweactuallylisten?
QuestionsforDiscussionandApplication:
1) Whenwasatimeyoumadeanemotionaldecisionthatyoulaterregretted?
2) Read1Samuel25:1-13.WhenDavidhearswhatNabalhadtosayinreplytohisrequestfor
food,whatishisimmediateresponse?WesaidonSundaythat“emotionfueleddecisionsare
regretfilleddecisions.”Whydoemotionsleadustomakedecisionsweknowarewrongand
willleadtoregretandyetwedothemanyway?Howdowefightbeingledbyouremotions?
3) Read1Samuel25:14-32.WhatsticksouttoyouaboutwhatAbigaildoeshere?Whatdoesshe
saytoDavidthatbeginstodiffusethesituation?
4) Sundaywelisted3CharacteristicsofaPeacemakerthatweseeAbigailmodelhere.Whatwere
those3CharacteristicsofaPeacemaker?Howwelldothesedescribeyou?
5) Inverse32,DavididentifiesAbigailasbeingultimatelysentbysomeone.WhodoesDavidsay
sentAbigail?Whenweareabouttomakeanemotionallychargeddecisionthatwoulddishonor
theLord,whatifGodwassovereignlysendingpeopletospeakintoourlives?Howwouldwe
identifythesepeacemakersinthosemoments?Howdowebegintolivethroughemotionally
chargedtimeswitheyesopenforpeoplelikethisthatGodmaybesending?
6) PastorBrocksaidSundaythatpeacemakersaroundusarelikebumpersonabowlingalley.
Theykeepusinthelane,movingtowardaChristlikeresponse,andtheykeepusoutofthe
gutter.Whoservesas“bumpers”inyourlife?Doyouhavepeacemakersspeakingintoyou
duringtimesthatemotionaldecisionmakingcouldtakeoverandsendyourightintothe
gutter?Howcouldweasasmallgroupserveas“bumpers”foreachother?
7) Read1Samuel33-43.WhataresomethingsDavidsaysbacktoAbigail?Whyisherelieved
thathehaslistenedtoher?Whenwasthereatimeinyourlifeyouwereverygladyoulistened
tosomeonewhopreventedyoufromapaththatwouldhaveledtomajorregrets?
8) SundayendedwithareminderthatGodsentanultimate,perfectpeacemakertoearthforusin
Jesus.Let’sendwithatimeofworshipbyanswering,“Jesushasbroughtpeacetomylifeby…”