Samson - Pre-Conceived Notions

Judges 13:6-8 Then the woman went to her husband and told him, "A man of God came to me. He looked like an angel of God, very awesome. I didn't ask him where he came from, and he didn't tell me his name. But he said to me, 'You will conceive and give birth to a son. Now then, drink no wine or other fermented drink and do not eat anything unclean, because the boy will be a Nazirite of God from birth until the day of his death.' " Then Manoah prayed to the LORD : "O LORD, I beg you, let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born."

My husband would be the first to tell you that I have problems with "submitting". I was independent for some time before I married my husband, so I was used to getting things done all on my own. Very slowly, I've tried to give way to his authority - and it does turn out for the best (most of the time). God has marriage set up a certain way - and when we don't follow that set-up, things tend to go awry. Does that mean Susie Q can't get a job - no, It just means that we are to fall under our husbands' authority and they are to fall under God's authority. That's a big responsibility for a husband to have - and that's the way God intended it.

This interaction between Samsons' mom and dad I found to be quite funny. As soon as the Lord leaves her, Samson's soon to be mom runs to her husband and tells him what had happened. What does Manoah do? He asks God to send Him again - he wants to make sure his wife got the story right! Maybe, just maybe, his wife was okay with this because she was so flabbergasted the first time around that she really didn't pay close attention - or maybe she was livid because he didn't believe or trust her to tell him everything that happened.

Either way, it was a good idea to get some questions answered in preparation for their son - maybe questions that didn't come to mind at the first hearing of the news. How do we treat our husbands? Do we get angry because we think they've offended us - or do we see the wisdom behind their choices and put our feelings on the back burners.

I struggle with this on a daily basis. But, humility is the mark of a servant. Being a servant to Jesus is a far better calling than any here on this earth - I think I can use the practice, so I'll try a little harder with my husband.