Seventh-Day Adventist Devotional For Children: “The Eyes Have It”

DAILY BREAD – A DEVOTIONAL FOR CHILDREN

Eastern Nigeria Union Conference Children’s Ministries

THEME: I WILL GO

Monday, April 4, 2022

Topic: The Eyes have It

“I saw a Philistine woman in Timnah. I want you to get her for me. I want to marry her…But Samson said, “Get that woman for me! She is the one I want!”. Judges 14: 2-3

God sent His people a savior in the person of Samson—and what does Samson want to do? All he wants is to satisfy his eyes’ desire. Samson sees a Philistine girl and wants her for his wife. His parents reminded him that God wants him to marry one of His people (Deuteronomy 7:3-4). Children were to obey their parents so that they might live long in the land which the Lord had given to them. God never stuttered at that point. That was Standard Operating Procedure. Samson’s parents were interposed by God between this girl and their son in order to save Samson from a disaster. But he would not listen; he disobeyed. He insisted on having his own way – this woman because she is right in his own eyes. Samson was living by sight and not by faith. He was controlled by “the lust of the eyes” rather than by the Law of the Lord and the Spirit of the LORD. The important thing to Samson was not pleasing the Lord, or even pleasing his parents, but pleasing himself.
Samson, a Nazirite from the womb, endowed with the Spirit – a wonderful heritage, which he despised. He rejected being led by the Spirit but by his wandering eyes— just like God’s people, Israel. They too chosen as God’s firstborn, special among all the peoples of the earth, bound by their promises (covenant) to love God above all—but repeatedly they follow after other gods. Like the people, Samson does what is wicked in God’s eyes.
Instead of putting himself in God’s hands to accomplish his God-given task, he chose to live to please himself – follow the crowd and doing the “in” thing. How tragic it is when God gives a young person a wonderful heritage and a great opportunity, and he or she treats it lightly. Christian young people need to stop and consider carefully when they find themselves defying God’s word and godly parents who know God’s Word.

In Samson, God sent a savior who mirrored the sins of his people, because God designed the savior of his people to know the burden of their wickedness. Even more, to suffer the consequences of their wickedness. None of the saviors – deliverers, in the book of Judges, however, could escape the burden and consequences of their own sins.
Thanks be to God for the true Savior, Jesus, who understands our weaknesses, who was tempted as we are, but did not sin (Hebrews 4:15). He took on the burden of all our wickedness – our sins, and He suffered the consequences for our sake. Then He rose from the grave, providing new life for all who believe in Him. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Song
O be careful little eyes what you see
O be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above
Is looking down below
So, be careful little eyes what you see

O be careful little feet where you go
O be careful little feet where you go
For the Father up above
Is looking down below
So, be careful little feet where you go

Prayer
Thank you Lord for the perfect Savior in Jesus, who knew and bore my sins. Lord, help me not to give myself to what seems right in my eyes when it goes against your word.. Open my eyes to live for you. Amen.