‘…Samson went down…’ Judges 14:1 NKJV
Samson lost everything for several reasons. First, wrong relationships. When God says ‘no’ to a relationship It’s not to punish you, He’s being protective. ‘But I feel so good when I’m with them,’ you say. God sees where the road leads, you don’t! It’s better to want what you don’t have, than end up with what you can’t handle. Second, wilful disobedience. Three times we read, ‘Samson went down.’ And each time he got more entangled with a Philistine woman from Timnah! So, is this relationship taking you up or down? The poet wrote, ‘My old companions fare you well; I will not go with you to hell.’ The Bible says that ‘Samson went down’ and eventually married this Philistine girl, breaking God’s law. And even though she betrayed him ‘…the Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of their men…’ (Judges 14:19 NKJV) Perhaps Samson thought God would excuse him because he was ‘special’. No, ‘He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, will suddenly be destroyed…’ (Proverbs 29:1 NKJV) Repent, before you run out of time! Third, misplaced confidence. After Samson married another Philistine woman, Delilah, she too betrayed him. He said,‘“I will go out as before… and shake myself free!” But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him. Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down…’ (Judges 16:20–21 NKJV) When God’s blessing is no longer upon what you’re doing, it’s time to realise there could be sin in your life you must deal with, and that the secret of your strength is in God, not you.
SoulFood: Jer 1–3, Luke 2:41–52 Ps 59:1–8, Pro 14:21–22
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©