I Samuel 25:18

Abigail lost no time.  She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hunred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys...

Throughout the years that my husband was struggling with pornography, I often wondered just what I was supposed to do - if anything.  Should I say something to him?  To somebody else?  I was told he should have male friends to hold him accountable, and that I was not to take that role.  Did that mean I should sit idly by?  He knew that what he was doing was wrong.  Was it my place to point that out, or would I be nagging?  Should a Christian wife be submissive when her husband is choosing sin?

I think Abigail shows us the answer.  Her husband Nabal was a fool (it says so right in verse 25), and his foolish actions were about to destroy his household (v. 22).  Did Abigail hesitate?  No.  The Scriptures say she "lost no time".  She defied her husband and did what was right.  She took action to correct his error.  She stood in the gap between him and David and pleaded for his life.  David had mercy on Abigail (v. 32) and spared the lives of Nabal and the rest of the household.

As leaders in our home, our husband's foolish choices can destroy our families.  Our actions will vary based on the circumstances.  Abigail, for instance, apparently knew she would get nowhere by talking with Nabal.  For us, talking may be the most effective choice of action.  Perhaps a godly admonishment, spoken in truth and love, will open our husband's eyes to what he is doing and be enough to change his course.  It may take more than that.  Maybe we need to talk with a pastor.  Perhaps we need to urge him to seek out a counselor or support group.  In extreme cases, we may have to take our children someplace safe for a period of time.  But we should not - we cannot - sit quietly while our families are falling apart.

Remember, too, how Abigail pleaded for Nabal.  Intercede for your husband.  Bring him before the throne of grace and beg God to work on his heart.  Lose no time.

Joshua 7:24-25

Then Joshua...took Achan...his sons and daughters...and all that he had...Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.

(Not familiar with Achan's story?  Please read the entire chapter.  And while you're at it, go back and read Joshua 6:15-19, too.)

We really don't like the word sin, do we?  We struggle with pride, mess up and tell a lie or two, have a bout of out of control temper, slip and say a bad word, fail at our marriage vows, neglect to show kindness or forgiveness, and overall have occasional lapses in judgment.  But sin?  That's such a harsh word.  And it comes across as so judgmental.

Here's one of the things I learn from Achan's story - whatever we want to call it, sin is a big deal to God.  So Achan took some things that he shouldn't have - did he deserve to be stoned?  Well, God said, "Don't...".  Achan did anyways.  That's sin.  Never forget that God takes sin very seriously.  Never think it doesn't really matter.  It does.  After all, our sin cost God's Son His life.

Another thing Achan's story shows us is that we are not the only ones who bear the consequences of our sin.  Achan's entire family suffered and was destroyed because of it.  The ramifications of sin spread far beyond the offender, and it is often those closest to us who suffer the most. 

If you are dealing with sin, bring it to the light.  Confess it - first to God and then to your spouse and family.  Don't destroy those you love.

The beautiful thing is that, while God is certainly a just God, He is also gracious and merciful.  I John 1:9 says that "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  What a wonderful promise!  Read Joshua 7:26.  Now read Hosea 2:15.  God doesn't want us to be destroyed.  He wants to give us hope.