Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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God Turns Barrenness into Blessing

Bible Reading: :Judges 13:2-14

Key verse:  

An angel of the Lord appeared to the wife of Manoah and said to her “Though you are barren and have had no children, you will conceive and bear a son.  Judges 13:3

DEVOTION

In the days of old, people often believed that sickness, disability, or childlessness were signs of divine punishment for sin. Even in John 9, Jesus’ disciples asked, “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus gently corrected their thinking, saying, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” In Judges 13, we meet Manoah and his wife—an ordinary couple facing the pain of childlessness. For years, their prayers seemed unanswered. Yet, in the quiet of their waiting, God was preparing a miracle. The angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah’s wife and declared that she would bear a son—Samson. 
Samson’s birth was not just a miracle of life; it was a testimony that God can transform barrenness into a blessing. What appeared to be a season of emptiness was actually a divine setup for God’s purpose to unfold. 
A dear friend once shared a beautiful thought: “God places some children in their mother’s womb and some in their mother’s lap.”
That truth became real in my own journey to motherhood. After years of waiting, paperwork, interviews, and endless steps in the adoption process—three and a half years later—the long-awaited email arrived. We were finally cleared to travel to India to bring our son home.
But instead of excitement, I felt fear wash over me. Questions filled my mind: Am I ready? What have I done? In that anxious moment, I opened my Bible, started reading Psalms 113 and verse 9 really struck me.  “He gives children to the childless woman, making her a happy mother.”
Tears flowed, but this time they were tears of peace. God reminded me that His hand was in every detail. He was the one writing our story. Just as He brought joy to Manoah’s wife through Samson, He brought joy to my heart through our son. I didn’t know what the future held—but I knew who held it.

 

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, thank You for being the God who turns barrenness into blessing. Teach me to trust Your timing, even when I cannot see Your plan. Fill the empty places in my life with Your presence and purpose. Let every delay become a testimony of Your faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Thought for the DAY

God’s delays are not denials—they are divine preparations for greater blessings.


Remi Mathai
Carmel Mar Thoma Church, Boston

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