By Michelle Anderson
After Manoah’s wife encounters the angel of the Lord, she runs to him and gives him a report. He listens but takes it a step further. He prayed and asked God to send the man again to give additional instructions on how to raise the child.
God often sends us good news, when He does, who do you trust with the news He gives you?
Evaluate How…and with Whom…
In this wife’s case, she trusted her husband and while he believed, he prayed for additional insight. This story brings to life the verse in Proverbs 27:17 where iron sharpens iron. When we have good news, the urge is always to share but I want to encourage you to evaluate how you share and with whom. Manoah prayed for greater insight and God honoured that prayer. When you share, how do people respond, are they genuinely happy or do they punch holes in your ideas?
Challenge to Channel
Your friends should be like Manoah, after the heavenly encounter, he offered a sacrifice. Your friends should challenge you to praise God during good news, channeling all praise and honour to God.
An Indication of How Friendship Should Be
At the end of the visitation, the angel of the Lord went up in the flame from the sacrifice that was offered. Both Manoah and his wife fell in worship. Manoah assumed death was next, but his wife was the voice of reason, again an indication of how friendships should be.
God brings that which they most desired and the child was born, “Manoah’s wife gave birth to a son and named him Samson. The child grew, and the Lord empowered him.” Judges 13:24
Running to God
As we continue the story of this couple in weeks to come, we will see a life lived running to God. I encourage all of us, let us run to God and to His people at all times. This is a family where you are safe. This is a family where empowerment is possible.
Michelle Anderson is author of the books “The Holy Spirit Gives Life” and “Giants in the Shadows”. She is also the creator of the podcast, “From the Pages of My Diary”.