Judges 15:19-20 and 16:1Then God opened up the hollow place in Lehi, and water came out of it. When Samson drank, his strength returned and he revived. So the spring was called En Hakkore, and it is still there in Lehi. Samson led Israel for twenty years in the days of the Philistines. 16:1 One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her.
Even after the tacky way that Samson tells God he needs water - God provides. I think it might have been in this provision that God teaches Samson that he couldn't have destroyed those Philistines by himself just as much as he couldn't sustain life if it weren't for God. It is in these verses that we get a little foreshadowing - that's a literary term for: Here's what's going to happen...
These verses tell us that Samson will lead the Israelites for twenty years - we find out later that wasn't just the length left of his leading, that was the length left of his life. If you were reading a book and it told you how much longer you were going to be here on earth - would you start living life differently? Let's look back at Samson
After this battle, he heads into Gaza and sleeps with a prostitute - right after God gave him a victory over the Philistines!! I hate to parallel this with weight loss, but since that's my industry - it seems like a good tie-in. Many times members will lose all the weight that they desire while they are doing Weight Watchers, but as soon as they stop coming to the meetings - they start gaining it all back. Once they've gotten what they want - they forget the process and what got them there. They go right back to their old habits of choosing the wrong foods.
Samson doesn't spend any time alone with God, doesn't seek His guidance, doesn't call on Him for encouragement. This may be why he was seeking satisfaction through sex and we all know the devil is happy to provide that distraction for us. If you knew you only had 20 years left to fulfill God's purpose - how would you choose to live it? Like Samson, knowing that he was chosen by God so his place in heaven was secure and he could live life how he wanted? The funny thing is, as Christians, we ARE chosen by God and there IS a book written that says how much longer we'll have here on earth (God has it) - the question is - how will we make a difference for Him during our short time on earth and are we really seeking to serve Him or ourselves?
5 comments:
First off topic - every time I see your Christmas counter meter it freaks me out. Surely there are more than 34 days until Christmas??
Your post today, deed. Our days are written out in the book of life. We should be living each day for God as if it were our last, as it could be. Great thinking here, and good writing as usual.
A few days ago while reading Mark 7..I read the verse they praise me with their lips and their hearts are far from me...unfortunately my heart exposed shows that more often than not my heart seeks its own pleasure and needs...I am continually praying for God to change my heart. I am working on actively seeking God with all my heart. It's not just finding out I fall short..it's the so what have you been doing to correct this other than acknowledging my selfishness. Thank you for another thought provokig post.
You're right success is consistent action over long time in the right direction.
Samson seems to show our impulse nature clearly. God is so merciful to us all isn't He?
Yes, there is that old saying that if you go back to doing (eating, living) the way you always did, you'll get what you always got. Why do humans long for Egypt? vatinght
I think the story of Samson is an incredible reminder of God's immense patience and mercy. We absolutely do need to really seek to serve Him. Thank you again Dorothy.
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