My Samsonite Sin
"So he told her all that was in his heart and said to her, 'A razor has never come on my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother's womb. If I am shaved, then my strength will leave me and I will become weak like any other man.'" Judges 16:17)
You all know the story. Samson and Delilah. The Philistines offered her 1100 pieces of silver to discover the source of Samson's strength. She very unashamedly asked him where his strength came from and he told her several lies. The first was that he could be overpowered by 7 fresh cords, then new ropes, then having his hair woven into a loom. Then he told her what he really thought was the truth, that if his hair was cut, he'd be weak like any other man. Samson was trusting in his hair for strength! He'd had an entire life "devoted" to the Lord and he didn't know that his strength came from God? Wow!
"She said, 'The Philistines are upon you, Samson!' And he awoke from his sleep and said, 'I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.' But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him." (Judges 16:20)
Did Samson's sudden weakness have anything to do with his hair being cut off? Of course not! The Lord left him because he took his Nazrite vow lightly...because he failed to tell the true source of his strength...because he misdirected the glory! If he had said, "If you defeat my God, then I will be weak like any other man", well that would have been true. What could the Philistines have done? Nothing! No one can defeat Almighty God!
In our hearts we know this but our fleshly minds forget. How often do we find our "strength" or "security" in things other than God? If you take away my money, I'll be weak like any other man. If you take away my house, I'll be weak like any other man. If you take away my husband or child, I will be weak like any other woman. If you take away my earthly freedom, I'll be weak like any other woman. If you take away my friends, job, physique, automobile, name your idol!
I confess that I feel weak much of the time. I've been feeling particularly weak lately as God has given me a new responsiblity...a rather large one. I've moved from fear to resentment, back to fear, then to excitement and even obsession over this new responsibility. God has shown me today, through this passage with Samson, that I'm weak because I'm misdirecting glory. I don't do it outwardly or in any obvious way. I don't say, "Dave, I trust in you for my strength, counsel, protection, and overeall security." Yet, in reality, I do. I don't say, "Jenn, Dana, I trust in you for friendship and encouragement through the thick and thin." Yet, in reality, I do. I stand guilty of putting my trust in earthly things and people, of misdirecting glory that belongs only to God, and of living like my strength comes from the world. Friend, there is no strength in the world! Absolutely none! There is no strength in sinful people---even the saved ones! There is strength only in the Lord Jesus! No wonder I feel weak! Do you?
Oh God! Change me! May I never be the same after reading this passage today. I've read it a hundred times and skimmed right over it thinking, "I know this story...there's nothing more to learn here..." God, thank you for opening my eyes today to see that I've become a "Samsonite". I've fallen into the same sin as he. I'm steeped in Samsonite sin! May I never trust in the world for strength and may I never direct glory (even unintentionally) to any other than You, Oh God! Align my mind with my heart that truly loves, trusts, praises, and serves You. May I have the mind of Nehemiah as he continually believed that You would fight for him and his people. Victory is in You, Jesus! Thanks be to God.
You all know the story. Samson and Delilah. The Philistines offered her 1100 pieces of silver to discover the source of Samson's strength. She very unashamedly asked him where his strength came from and he told her several lies. The first was that he could be overpowered by 7 fresh cords, then new ropes, then having his hair woven into a loom. Then he told her what he really thought was the truth, that if his hair was cut, he'd be weak like any other man. Samson was trusting in his hair for strength! He'd had an entire life "devoted" to the Lord and he didn't know that his strength came from God? Wow!
"She said, 'The Philistines are upon you, Samson!' And he awoke from his sleep and said, 'I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.' But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him." (Judges 16:20)
Did Samson's sudden weakness have anything to do with his hair being cut off? Of course not! The Lord left him because he took his Nazrite vow lightly...because he failed to tell the true source of his strength...because he misdirected the glory! If he had said, "If you defeat my God, then I will be weak like any other man", well that would have been true. What could the Philistines have done? Nothing! No one can defeat Almighty God!
In our hearts we know this but our fleshly minds forget. How often do we find our "strength" or "security" in things other than God? If you take away my money, I'll be weak like any other man. If you take away my house, I'll be weak like any other man. If you take away my husband or child, I will be weak like any other woman. If you take away my earthly freedom, I'll be weak like any other woman. If you take away my friends, job, physique, automobile, name your idol!
I confess that I feel weak much of the time. I've been feeling particularly weak lately as God has given me a new responsiblity...a rather large one. I've moved from fear to resentment, back to fear, then to excitement and even obsession over this new responsibility. God has shown me today, through this passage with Samson, that I'm weak because I'm misdirecting glory. I don't do it outwardly or in any obvious way. I don't say, "Dave, I trust in you for my strength, counsel, protection, and overeall security." Yet, in reality, I do. I don't say, "Jenn, Dana, I trust in you for friendship and encouragement through the thick and thin." Yet, in reality, I do. I stand guilty of putting my trust in earthly things and people, of misdirecting glory that belongs only to God, and of living like my strength comes from the world. Friend, there is no strength in the world! Absolutely none! There is no strength in sinful people---even the saved ones! There is strength only in the Lord Jesus! No wonder I feel weak! Do you?
Oh God! Change me! May I never be the same after reading this passage today. I've read it a hundred times and skimmed right over it thinking, "I know this story...there's nothing more to learn here..." God, thank you for opening my eyes today to see that I've become a "Samsonite". I've fallen into the same sin as he. I'm steeped in Samsonite sin! May I never trust in the world for strength and may I never direct glory (even unintentionally) to any other than You, Oh God! Align my mind with my heart that truly loves, trusts, praises, and serves You. May I have the mind of Nehemiah as he continually believed that You would fight for him and his people. Victory is in You, Jesus! Thanks be to God.
"Friend, there is no strength in the world! Absolutely none! There is no strength in sinful people---even the saved ones! There is strength only in the Lord Jesus!"
YES!
Thank you for sharing what the Lord shined into your heart in this passage!
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Hello blessed Katy! It's always my pleasure to share what the Lord has shown me and my great praise that you were blessed by it! I love you Sister!
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