An unnamed woman with an intentional pregnancy

Being a parent is hereditary, chances are if your mother never had children, then you probably won’t either. Mothers accomplish something that fathers can’t and that is to give birth. A father can seed the birth, but only a mother can give birth in the natural. Mothers are mentioned throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. They’re honored, mistreated, unnamed, and sometime forgotten. But, one thing I’ve noticed is when God spoke to a woman in scripture, he was about to birth something great.

In the Old Testament book of Judges, God speaks to a barren woman. In chapter 13, she is only known as the wife of Manoah. An angel appeared to her not once but twice. God didn’t de-value her husband by circumventing him. He was about to birth a powerful leader for Israel, and her assignment would determine her child’s strength. He was to be devoted to God under a strict Nazarite vow. He was not permitted to eat, drink, or associate with certain things deemed unclean for him, and she was commanded not to as well. God was about to bring strength to the nation of Israel through Samson, and he went straight to his mother first. His strength would later be dependent upon his vow, but her strength would be tested first. In this life we will only be as strong as the mother that birthed and coddled us. Samson lost his strength because of his disobedience. His strength of will could not match his physical strength, but his mother’s strength was what birthed the leader that he was.

Samson judged Israel for 20 years. He defeated the enemy with and without his ability to see. He did a lot of things wrong and some things right, but he was God’s chosen man to lead Israel during difficult days, and it all started with a spoken word from God to a barren wife with no name. She had nothing to offer her God or her husband except obedience and desperation, and God used what she had and called her out of obscurity to birth the strength of Israel. This world may not know your name or remember your legacy, but will it be led or changed by what he is allowed to birth in you? Don’t ignore his calling because of your past or disqualify yourself from his pregnancy because of your barrenness. Just keep an ear out for his voice, because he doesn’t birth powerless offspring. Samson’s mother was desperate for a child. If you want to hear from God, become desperate for him to move.

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