Manoah's wife, the woman who encountered Messiah

There are some moments as I read the scriptures as if all time stands still and I feel as though I am suddenly teleported into His presence.

The sciptures refer to these moments as being in the third heaven, the dwelling place of El Shaddai...

The ancient Celts describe these moments as being in the thin places, where the sacred, the eternal crosses over with the temporal, where the veil that separates us, thins out and allows us to catch a glimpse into eternity.

In my faith journey I've learned it's not so much a place, but more about setting aside the everyday, getting to a lonely place and coming to the Word, being present and seeking the Eternal One.

When I happened across the story of Manoah's wife, and as I have meditated on the story and really sat with them, in the field, alone... this was another one of these moments.

And I have lingered with them there....

I was deeply drawn in last year when it felt like I read it for the first time ever, and the Spirit led me to drill in a bit deeper and even as I update this post , a year later, He is revealing more to me.

Manoah and his were the parents of Samson. You might have heard the story of Samson and Delilah. Same person.

A woman known only as the wife of Manoah.

Barren...

broken....

possibly the subject of a jealousy scandal or an assumption that she was unfaithful and under the curse.

She is out by herself in the field when she encounters an extraordinary man who tells her things are about to change and that her broken place is about to get healed. He also gives her an important detail and task she is to carry out. The instructions are clear and specific. She will have a child who is to be set apart for Adonai.

This person identifies himself at one point as I am. This and other clues in the dialogue and events in the story have led me to understand that this woman encountered the pre-incarnate Messiah, the one through whom all things were made, the Creator of the Universe.

This in itself is simply indescribable in its wonder.

All of us , no matter who we are , carry hopes and dreams and heartaches, that if we bring them to Him, and truly set them down before Hi, he can bring his glory to...

But I want to let you unpack the story for yourself, see what the Spirit ministers to your heart.

And the cool thing is as we receive the true gold, we get to share it with others.

Something happened last year the following weekend with a woman I encountered. She was with her grandson Noah when I met her a few hours before sunset on Shabbat. I shared with the little boy and his grandmother the meaning of his name in Hebrew (which I had looked up whilst I was reading the story) and as a result a beautiful and sacred moment arose between us allowing me to naturally share that I study the Hebrew bible and the Torah. She revealed that she was Jewish but that study of the Word had never been on her radar until perhaps more recently. I encouraged her that she might find some wondrous treasure and provided a few ideas to get started.

This year I remembered the story as I have been conversing with a new friend, and felt to ask her if she had come across it. Then it popped up again in the Torah cycle reading.

I've also asked my sister, who is an Artist, to paint a portrait of the couple with their fire and sacrifice, and their worship of Messiah.

As we read the Word and encounter His presence, it's then so easy to share what we receive and invite others to the Word and moments of intimacy with their Creator.

I'd love to hear what you discover from this portion, please leave me a comment if you would like to.

Shabbat Shalom.

Cara