August 30, 2020

Today we find hope in the book of Joshua chapter 13. What a wonderful passage about the birth of Samson. Manoah and his wife were unable to have children because she was barren. But an angel of the Lord appeared and informed her that she would have a son. She was told her son would be dedicated to God as a Nazarite from birth to death. Because of this, she was not to drink wine, any strong drink, nor was she to eat anything unclean thing. After the meeting with the angel, Manoah’s wife runs to him and tells him what was said unto her. Later the angel comes to her again and this time she goes to get Manoah. The angel tells Manoah the same thing. So, Manoah and his wife place an offering on the altar, and the angel ascends to heaven in the flames. Manoah becomes worried because he thinks since they have seen God, they will surely die. But his wife reassures him that if God wanted them dead, He would not have accepted their offering nor would he have sent word about the son they were going to have.

There are a couple of hope nuggets for us to find in this passage that are so exciting. Let’s take a look!

First thing that we see is a woman who is unable to have children. This automatically takes me to Sarah and how she and Abraham could not have children because she was barren. Both of these women experienced a meeting with an angel who was bringing word that they would be giving birth to a baby. Just like He did with Mary, God sent an angel to deliver the news of a birth regardless of the circumstances. What a good Father!!

The second nugget is a really shiny one that just popped out at me as I read this for the umpteenth time. Manoah thinks that because they have seen God they will surely see death. But here is his wife saying, “Whatever, if God wanted us dead, He would not have sent the angel to tell us of a birth of a son and He would not have accepted our offering.” I kind of chuckled as I saw in my mind, this woman telling her husband to just calm down, God is not going to destroy us.

LadyBug, when God brings you a word of a thing He is going to birth in you, He is not going to remove you from the thing. He is not going to go against His promise. His word does not return void. He changes our future with His word.

Let us rejoice in the promises that He gives.

~Cyndi Kay

Judges 13:1-25