When God looks at us, what kind of people does he see? In Judges 13, the angel of the Lord appears to the parents of Samson. Dad’s name is Manoah. We do not know mom’s name. We do know that, as a nation, Israel had walked away from God again. Verse 1 says they “did evil in the sight of the Lord.” As a nation, they were not following God, but Manoah and his wife were following God. So what do we see in the Lord and how the Lord interacted with them, that will help us? We might see….
They were God’s people. God chose them, of all the couples in Israel, God chose these two people. They were interested in the things of God. When Manoah was told to prepare an offering, he did not have to ask how. He knew. This couple knew how to follow God.
They accepted God’s plan. Judge 13:3-5 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing: For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. As God revealed what God had in mind, they never questioned it. They only asked how they could best obey God. Wow, what and idea!
They understood God’s principle. Their child was to be a Nazerite that God would use to deliver Israel. This required Manoah and his wife to adhere to and obey certain restrictions. They were good with doing that because they got what God had in mind. Since they took God at His word, they had no problem with the principles God put forth.
They enjoyed God’s provision. Because they did what they were supposed to do, God blessed the child and they got to enjoy the blessings that God poured out.
How much less of a roller coaster would our lives be on if we were more like Manoah and his wife. Let’s determine to be God’s people, to accept God’s plan, to understand and live by His principles, that we may enjoy His blessings poured out upon us. For those who trust in the Lord, it seems like a great way to live life! Does God see that in you?