Discerning God's Ways

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Verses:Judges 13:21-23 

"When the angel of the Lord did not show himself again to Manoah and his wife, Manoah realized that it was the angel of the Lord. And Manoah said to his wife, 'We are certainly going to die, for we have seen God!' But his wife replied, 'If the Lord had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and grain offering from our hands, nor would he have shown us all these things or told us all these things.'"

As we reflect on this passage, we see a beautiful example of spiritual maturity and discernment. Manoah's wife, who remains nameless throughout the passage, is the true heroine of the story. She is the one who receives the angel's visitation, not once but twice, and she is the one who comforts her husband when he is filled with fear and anxiety.

What's striking about this passage is the way Manoah's wife discerns God's ways and dealings. She is not prophesying or predicting the future, but rather, she is grasping the present moment and understanding God's intentions. She realizes that God has been speaking to them and guiding them throughout their journey, and she trusts that He will continue to do so.

This passage highlights the importance of paying attention to God's ways and dealings. Spiritual maturity involves being able to discern God's voice and understand His intentions. It involves being able to see the bigger picture and trust that God is working everything out for our good.

Manoah's wife is a beautiful example of this kind of spiritual maturity. She is not panicked or fearful, even when her husband is. Instead, she is calm and confident, trusting that God is in control.

As we consider this passage, we are reminded of the importance of cultivating spiritual maturity and discernment. We must learn to pay attention to God's ways and dealings, and trust that He is working everything out for our good.

Prayer:

Dear God, help us to cultivate spiritual maturity and discernment. May we learn to pay attention to Your ways and dealings, and trust that You are working everything out for our good. May we be like Manoah's wife, calm and confident in Your presence, and may we always trust in Your goodness and love. Amen.

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