Manoah Part 2 of 2

by John Lowe
(Woodruff, S.C.)

LESSON 2 - WE MUST BE OBEDIENT TO GOD’S WILL, REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE MIGHT THINK OF IT!

The next three verses tell us:

1 And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.
2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.
3 Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.

The text tells us that Samson’s parents tried to counsel him against seeking a wife among the Philistines when Samson saw the woman he desired. It’s clear that the parents were in agreement in urging Samson to marry an Israelite. However, Samson was now an adult who was guided by his passions, rather than wisdom or by respect for his parents. I believe Samson’s mother did her best to follow the instructions God gave her. Yet Samson made choices that she advised against. Samson’s choices in women ultimately caused his downfall and death.

What’s our lesson here? I think there is a hard lesson here, one that we often fail to realize or teach. Parents may teach their children to love and honor God; however, when they become adults they make and are responsible for their own decisions. They must decide whether they will heed their parent’s guidance or not. Don’t get me wrong here; I’m not advocating any other course of action regarding the rearing of a child. I believe it is crucial to raise our children in strong Christian homes where Christian living and values are strongly taught and adhered to. The point I’m making is, just like the case here with Samson, even though at times, when we as parents have done our best, our kids may still make the wrong choice. We can offer advice and pray for our children, but they are young adults, and we can’t choose for them. Often we will need the strength to live with things we can’t change and to have faith in the God who works in all things for our good.

I’m reminded of a Psalm written by Solomon: "Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth" (Ps. 127:3-4). What’s the point here? Children need youthful guidance, much like a bowman making a shot. Without guidance, the arrow may miss the mark badly. However, even with proper guidance, once the arrow leaves the bow, there is no guarantee it will hit the target. We as parents, like the bowman, must do our best to aim the arrow in the right direction, and to ensure proper release, and then the rest is in their hands!

SUMMARY:

Manoah’s wife was a special person from whom we can learn several valuable lessons. She was, without a doubt, a spiritually strong woman who stood ready and well equipped to serve God. Likewise, she was a very obedient woman who carried out God’s will without doubt, questions, or criticism. She certainly has godly characteristics which we all should model. Yet, perhaps the most important lesson we can learn from her surrounds the disappointing choices our children often make. The Bible is full of sons and daughters of godly men and women who made poor choices. The world we live in today is equally full of children raised by good, Christian parents who make poor choices regarding how they live their life. Should we blame ourselves? Not necessarily. Should we give up on them? By no means!

Samson, in the end, I believe made his mother proud. He humbled himself, and made one final request to God, one that God granted. Samson today is viewed as a Bible hero, not an unruly child. If our children make poor choices, we must remain strong in the faith and prayerful that God will grant us one final request! Friends, no matter how much your children disappoint you, never give up on them. Keep praying for them and continue to reach out to them. Our example in this is our God.

Don’t you think we disappoint Him? We must! But does He kick you out of His family? Certainly not! He patiently deals with your heart, until you realize you need forgiveness and come back to Him, just as you are; not perfect, just forgiven. The hymn writer may have said it best:

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve,
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

REMEMBER THE 2 LESSONS THAT MANOAH’S WIFE WANTS TO TEACH US BY HER EXAMPLE:

LESSON 1 - WE MUST ALWAYS STAND READY TO SERVE GOD.

LESSON 2 - WE MUST BE OBEDIENT TO GOD’S WILL, REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE MIGHT THINK OF IT!