S170P7 – Behind closed doors: Manoah

Jdg. 13:8-11

Then Manoah prayed to the LORD and said, “O Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent come again to us and teach us what we are to do with the child who will be born.” And God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman as she sat in the field. But Manoah her husband was not with her. So the woman ran quickly and told her husband, “Behold, the man who came to me the other day has appeared to me.” And Manoah arose and went after his wife and came to the man and said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to this woman?” And he said, “I am.”

Manoah’s wife was barren, and we see this was another opportunity for God to bring forth a child who undoubtedly was planned and purposed by him.  We have no history of whether Manoah and his wife wanted or asked for children, but the Lord saw fit to trust them with a child whose life would have a great impact on his people’s history.  Manoah knew from the angelic visit his wife reported that raising their boy would be important.  Only the Lord who would send this child could guide them, so Manoah made his plea in submission to God.  The result was clear and confirmed instruction, which Manoah and his wife followed, allowing their child to accomplish the Lord’s will for him.

The deliverance of Israel has been a constant concern throughout their history.  For Manoah and his wife, being promised a child who would bring about that deliverance required more than simply thanking God for that gift and privilage.  Manoah understood how critical it was to raise this child well because this was God’s child brought into the world for God’s purposes.  What we see is that Samson’s parents took the stewardship of parenthood seriously.  That private prayer was about how to be a good parent by God’s standard and for the fulfillment of that child’s fate.  It is the kind of prayer every Godly parent should be raising up to the Lord for the sake of good stewardship. 

The same way this miracle son was destined for a great purpose in God’s kingdom, every child God brings us has a purpose and plan.  Parenthood is a prime opportunity for us to agree with God through prayer for his will to come forward.  Parents surely have plans and dreams for their children, but we must admit that our human ideas do not compare to his.  Signing up for parenthood is signing up for another kind of stewardship, which could have unimaginable and incredibly impactful effects on the kingdom.  Preparing through prayer matters for every child’s life.  Father, motivate those You have entrusted with parenthood to seek You in prayer for how to raise your children according to your will.