The woman gave birth to a boy and named him Samson. He grew and the Lord blessed him, and the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him while he was in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.
New International Version (NIV)
What do we want for our kids? The news tells about prominent people using money to bribe officials to get their kids into schools for which they did not qualify. How will we know whether our kids have been successful in life? We could measure it by their grades or their jobs or their cumulative wealth and net worth.
Manoah and his wife were childless. Unsolicited, the angel of the Lord showed up and promised Manoah’s wife that she would give birth to a son who would lead Israel. When Manoah heard, he prayed and asked for more information. The angel returned and instructed them to prepare themselves spiritually to raise their special son. Think of Samson’s potential! He was predicted by an angel and miraculously conceived. Samson was reared by godly parents. God would gift him with supernatural strength. But the greatest measure of his potential was this: the Spirit of the Lord began to stir in his life.
As we pray for our children and grandchildren, let us give more attention to God’s plan for their lives than we do to the common measures of success in our culture. What if our kids gain the whole world and lose their souls? What if they are the smartest and strongest and fastest but do not love God with their whole lives? Let us want for our kids what God wants for them: that Jesus Christ will be their highest treasure. When Christ becomes the center of their lives for their whole lives, we need not doubt. They will do well because it will be well with their souls.
Pray with me:
Father, thank you for bringing beautiful babies into our families and churches. Each of them is precious in your sight. Let us see their highest potential as servants of the Most High God. Bless them with long lives to serve you well. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
This year our Every Day with Jesus readings will follow The Bible Project Read Scripture Plan. Copies of this reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download the app at readscripture.org. Read through the Bible with us in 2019!
Joyfully,
Duane
Copyright 2019. All Rights Reserved.
Share this email:
Manage your preferences | Opt out using TrueRemove™
Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.
View this email online.
