Simple Practical Faith

Linda Rock
Oct 1
3 min read

Our meditation today begins with an angel of God who goes to a sterile, childless, married woman and tells her that she is going to have a child. The woman quickly goes to her husband and tells him of this scary, but miraculously magnificent news. Listen to some of what has transpired. Judges 13: 6 – 7. NKJV.

So the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came to me, and His countenance was like the countenance of the Angel of God, very awesome, but I did not ask Him where He was from, and He did not tell me His name. And He said to me, Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. Now drink no wine or similar drink, nor eat anything unclean, for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.

Indeed, Manoah and his sterile and childless wife have been given news that surpasses all understanding. Whether they’ve been praying for a child or not, or whether they have given up on ever having a child or not, is not mentioned. What is clear is that a sterile and childless woman is told that she is going to conceive and have a son. I don’t know how any human mind can cope with such mind-blowing news, yet this couple seriously believes.

Our focus is on Manoah. So accepting and believing is Manoah that when he meets God’s news-bearing messenger, he enquires about how they are to train the child. It is as if the baby has been put in his arms.

Here are some of the things which really tug vigorously and violently at my faith, belief, trust, acceptance and understanding of God and His Word. The angel of God does not go to Manoah to give him any word. Manoah hears through his wife, yet he believes every word sent by God. It is on what he has heard that Manoah goes straight to God and prays. What does this man pray?

Does he ask to let the angel come and tell him himself, so that he will know it’s true? Absolutely not!
Does he ask for a sign, to help his faith, so that he’ll know for sure that God has spoken? Definitely not!
Does he ask God for anything or anyone to come and confirm this word from his wife? Certainly not!

Manoah prays all right, but he prays, begging God to send the man of God to teach them how to bring up the child. O my Lord, please let the Man of God whom You sent come to us again and teach us what we shall do for the child who will be born. Judges 13: 8b. On the basis of the heard word, this man prays as one who holds the promise in his hands. He prays as one whose promise is fulfilled. He prays as if it is actually so.

Not only that! When the heavenly messenger returns and Manoah meets him, this is what he tells the angel. Manoah said, Now let Your words come to pass! What will be the boy’s rule of life and his work? Judges 13: 12. Manoah is not wasting any time with this promise. His mind has taken full possession of the promise and he is operating on faith and trust, in a God who does not joke about such heart matters. He is dealing with a God who will never come to a sterile and childless woman and tell her that she will conceive and have a son, just to make her a mockery. Manoah has taken this as fact, so he wants to know what is to be the upbringing for the child’s life and work. This is the simple, practical faith of a man who takes what he hears from God and literally runs with it.

Nothing is said about Manoah being God’s devout servant, or his wife being a woman of renown. Nothing in this account indicates that this man has done any great humanitarian or mighty works. What I’m saying is that these are ordinary, simple believers like you and me. We’re being shown that simple, practical faith is open, common and everyday faith, which people have in each other. Is it so impossible to have this faith in God’s given Word? Is it easier to have faith in man than God?