MARRIAGE IS HONOURABLE AND BEAUTIFUL
but you need to also know that you’ll meet challenges as you both travel together as covenant Lovers. Trials of diverse types will come up but be well assured that they each have an expiry date; and with unity of heart, mind, voice and purpose you’ll overcome them all.
In our anchor scriptures for today, we see a couple whose marriage was challenged with barrenness. How long this challenge lasted we’re not told.
But after some years of patient endurance, the Lord came to their rescue with the blessing of an unusual, peculiar and extraordinarily mighty child who would be bigger in life than a thousand men put together! That child was born, grew up and became Samson the Judge and the Man of War.
There are lessons for us to learn from the marriage of Mr and Mrs Manoah, the parents of Samson.
(1) ENDURANCE AND LONG-SUFFERING.
In the account of their challenge of barrenness, there’s no trace of bitterness, anger or grumblings against the Lord for not blessing them early with conception.
Lesson is, no matter the challenge your marriage is faced with don’t resort to murmuring, anger or grumblings against the Lord.
Instead, count God faithful. Trust His judgements, perspectives and timing. Rest in His love knowing that He is for you and will never do anything against you!
(2) THE LORD IS GRACIOUS AND WILL BRING THE TRIAL TO AN END.
Good as it is to invest loads of prayers, we are not told that Mr Manoah and his wife prayed and fasted so much.
But the Lord Who sees all and loves all intervened at the right time and told Mrs Manoah that she would conceive! How glorious and relieving this news must have been to herself and her beloved husband!
(3) FOR THE DELAY GOD GAVE THEM A SON THAT WAS MORE THAN A THOUSAND MEN
For all the pains and troubles they went through while the waiting years lasted, God blessed the Manoahs with a baby that would be a Nazarite from the womb! Please, read:
“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.”(Judges 13:5)
When you read through Scripture, you find a pattern of huge compensatory blessings for those who endured delayed child birth.
Sarah was rewarded with great Isaac. Rachel’s tears were wiped with the gift of Great Joseph who would ruled the world from Egypt.
Hannah’s mouth was widened over her adversary with the gift of Samuel who became a mighty Prophet. The pains of Elizabeth and her reproach of very many years were wiped out with the birth of mighty John, The Baptist, the revivalist and forerunner of the Messiah.
Whatever challenge God has allowed you to face in marriage isn’t meant to ruin or shame you but to raise you up to a position you never could have attained ordinarily. So be patient. God will not let you wait longer than necessary.
(4) STAND AS ONE AND SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE
When you read the whole of Judges chapter 13, you’ll notice that Mr Manoah and his wife were united and spoke with one voice. There are no records of discord and argument between them.
Even when the husband expressed fears that they would die since they saw the Angel ascend to heaven, the wife spoke against it and that silenced the issue; as her husband didn’t insist that his opinion was right. He was wrong and his wife was right and he humbly accepted. This is how it should be in marriages. There should be mutual deference that allows only the truth to prevail.
In conclusion, hear this: whatever challenge you’ve been enduring has an expiration date. Once the time comes, the Lord will roll your trials away and usher you into a glorious season of joy and rest.
💕❤️Tonight’s Assignment In The Bedroom:
Reread today’s devotional piece together and discuss it.
✝️ JESUS IS LORD FOREVER!
Only Jesus can save your soul from going to Hell.
If you haven’t yet received HIM, please ask Him to come into your heart and save you and He will.
Don’t delay!!! Receive Him TODAY!!!
🥁🎷🎸🎺🎹🎙️
ANOINTED MUSIC SECTION