Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

A Daily Devotional by Kenton Cheek

3 April 2024

Reading From Judges 13-15

“Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, so the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years.

A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, had a wife who was childless, unable to give birth. The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, “You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son. Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean. You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.”

–Judges 13:1-5

     So begins the story of Samson, a man blessed with great physical strength that came from the Lord and did mighty things for his God, but who also struggled with lust. This eventually led to his downfall.  Not only did God open his mother’s barren womb in order for her to conceive him, but the angel of the Lord gave her the direction to dedicate her son to the Lord and raise him with the Nazarite Vow.  Samson and Samuel in the Old Testament and John the Baptist in the New Testament were raised from birth with the vow, but otherwise it was the voluntary choice of an individual to consecrate themselves for the Lord’s service in this way. 

     A New Covenant version of the Nazarite Vow might be found in Paul’s letter to the Romans 12:1-2.  “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” 

     When a person gives their life to Jesus, there should be a definite change of heart that has a ripple effect on how they live.  The very act of repentance, of deciding that sin is no longer desirable and turning instead to God shows that we know that there is a different, better way of life apart from how the majority of humanity lives.  My mother once cautioned me that just because other people are doing something or think a certain way, that doesn’t make it right.  We must search the Scriptures, ask the Holy Spirit to guide us, and make good choices.

“Plant a thought and reap a word;
plant a word and reap an action;
plant an action and reap a habit;
plant a habit and reap a character;
plant a character and reap a destiny.”

–Bishop Beckwaith

“Lord Jesus, I consecrate my life to Your service.  I pray that You would increase my faith and devotion to You.  Help me to lead a life of holiness.  When I do make mistakes, I pray that I would be quick to confess and turn away in the direction You want me to go.  Make me spiritually and physically strong so that I may do Your will.  Amen.”

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.

–I Timothy 4:8-10