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"Beyond Understanding" by David Middendorf
Judges 13:12 Manoach asked, “Now, when what you said comes true, what are the guidelines for raising the child? What should be done for him?” 13 The angel of Adonai said to Manoach, “The woman should take care to do everything I said to her. 14 She shouldn’t eat anything that comes from a grapevine, she shouldn’t drink wine or other intoxicating liquor, and she shouldn’t eat anything unclean. She should do everything I ordered her to do.”
15 Manoach said to the angel of Adonai, “Please stay with us a bit longer, so that we can cook a young goat for you.” 16 The angel of Adonai said to Manoach, “Even if I do stay, I won’t eat your food; and if you prepare a burnt offering, you must offer it to Adonai.” For Manoach did not know that he was the angel of Adonai. 17 Manoach said to the angel of Adonai, “Tell us your name, so that when your words come true we can honor you.” 18 The angel of Adonai answered him, “Why are you asking about my name? It is wonderful.” 19 Manoach took the kid and the grain offering and offered them on the rock to Adonai. Then, with Manoach and his wife looking on, the angel did something wonderful — 20 as the flame went up toward the sky from the altar, the angel of Adonai went up in the flame from the altar. When Manoach and his wife saw it, they fell to the ground on their faces. 21 But the angel of Adonai did not appear again to Manoach or his wife. Then Manoach realized it had been the angel of Adonai. 22 Manoach said to his wife, “We will surely die, because we have seen God!” 23 But his wife said to him, “If Adonai had wanted to kill us, he wouldn’t have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering from us, and he wouldn’t have shown us all this or told us such things at this time.”
24 The woman bore a son and called him Shimshon. The child grew, and Adonai blessed him. 25 The Spirit of Adonai began to stir him when he was in the Camp of Dan, between Tzor‘ah and Eshta’ol.
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Except for a few words concerning Samson being a "Nazarite," the "angel of the Lord" did not give Manoah or his wife the answer they wanted concerning their promised son, other than to say, He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines" [Judges 13:5].
How often have we wanted to know the details of what God has in store for us only to come away from prayer and reading the Word seemingly with more questions than answers? Then, in His time, God begins to "stir" in us a passion for His will that completely overrides our weakness in the area of service He has called us to.
What would have seemed impossible had we known ahead of time now is accomplished through His will and His strength, not ours. His timing is perfect, and His strength is made perfect through our weakness. How can this be, we ask? It is just like the answer the angel gave to Manoah when he asked for his name "It is beyond understanding" [verses 17-18].
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Hymn for Today: "Breathe on Me, Breath of God" by Edwin Hatch
1. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
fill me with life anew,
that I may love what thou dost love,
and do what thou wouldst do.
2. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
until my heart is pure,
until with thee I will one will,
to do and to endure.
3. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
till I am wholly thine,
till all this earthly part of me
glows with thy fire divine.
4. Breathe on me, Breath of God,
so shall I never die,
but live with thee the perfect life
of thine eternity.
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Thought of the Day: Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
and your ways are not my ways,” says Adonai.
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Please Pray: For the development of Cristian leaders in Guinea.
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and your ways are not my ways,” says Adonai.
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Please Pray: For the development of Cristian leaders in Guinea.
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