Seeking Wise Counsel

Judges 14:1 And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.
2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.
3 Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

INTRODUCTORY THOUGHTS

The godly choice of whom to marry likely will never again be as obvious as it was for Adam and Eve. Yet, the wrong choice can and will usually bring disastrous outcomes along with lifelong consequences. Wise counsel to avoid pitfalls related to bad choices is vitally important! Samson’s choice was ultimately of the Lord, but not because it was wise. His parents knew that his decision was fleshly and attempted to redirect him. Esau rebelliously sought a wife that would never meet his parents’ approval (Genesis 28:6-9). Throughout the Old Testament, parents were involved in the process of choosing the right spouse for their children. It may not be a direct command from God, but it remains a wise principle to follow. Parents are not always right, but the Lord is pleased to use them in this decision-making process.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

(For children):Ruth chose to live with Naomi because she wanted to serve the true God (Ruth 1:15-16). God led Ruth to work in the right field. Ruth listened to the wise counsel of her mother-in-law (Ruth 2:19-23; Ruth 3:5-6; Proverbs 19:20); this resulted in her becoming the great-grandmother of king David (Ruth 4:17).

(For everyone):Who brought Eve to Adam? Who was involved in the selecting of a wife for Isaac (Genesis 24:1-3, 50)? Why is it dangerous to make the decision without counsel and without God?

(For everyone):Some have taken this principle and morphed it into some type of spiritual command. What are some scenarios where parents might not be able to be a help? Who could offer you wise counsel in their stead?

PRAYER THOUGHTS

Ask God to work in the lives of those who are not yet married.

Ask God to help those who have not made wise choices.

SONG

The Four Rulers

Receive the daily devotions on your facebook wall by clicking "Like" on our Facebook Page.