-- Sunday, 8/15/10 -- STARTING A JOB THAT YOU CAN'T FINISH -- Judges 13:2-5

[J.R. & Bonnie Ricks]

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STARTING A JOB THAT YOU CAN'T FINISH -- Judges 13:2-5 NIV

 

A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, had a wife who was sterile and remained childless.  The angel of the LORD appeared to her and said, "You are sterile and childless, but you are going to conceive and have a son.  Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean, because you will conceive and give birth to a son. No razor may be used on his head, because the boy is to be a Nazirite, set apart to God from birth, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines."

 

The wife of Manoah was given an assignment.  Although she was barren and childless, an angel appeared to her and told her she would conceive a son.  Then she was given instructions on how to raise that son – to never allow his hair to be cut because he would be set apart for service to God would be a Nazirite.  The promised result was that Samson would begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines.

 

The key word here is "begin".  Samson would not be the only deliverer from the Philistines.  He would only begin the work.  David would later be the one to crush the Philistines (2 Samuel 8:1 NIV).  Samson's job was only to get the ball rolling.  He wouldn't even live to see what the results of his work would be.

 

So many times in our lives, we are given the same type of assignment by God.  We are told to start something, but we aren't allowed to be around to see the job finished.  We're told to witness to someone who seemingly rejects the gospel of Jesus Christ.  And perhaps years later, that person accepts Jesus… but we never know.  Our witness began the road that would lead that person to Jesus, but we will not know about it until we run into him in heaven.

 

Sometimes we're called on to help start new churches… or new ministries… or any number of things.  Sometimes we're just told to help someone out for a while… or to be a friend… or to lend an ear… or to be a helping hand for a day or week or month.  And then we never see that person again… or we never return to that church… or we never even know someone's name.  But what we've begun may have long term and very important consequences, even though our part in it seems small and insignificant.

 

No matter how small the job is that you've been given… no matter whether you're going to see the outcome or not… your assignment is important.  The next time God gives you an assignment you know you can't finish, remember Samson.  You just might be starting something wonderful.

 

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe - as the Lord has assigned to each his task.  I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.  So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.  The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.  For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.  1 Corinthians 3:5-9 NIV

 

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