I do realize that in this age of sword wielding justice, talk was most likely the last resort, and true, the spirit of the Lord came upon Samson in order to judge the Philistines because that was Samson’s call. However, it seemed everything Samson did always came down to slash and burn then deal with the consequences later. His reckless behavior got him into a place of vulnerability and it cost him his eyesight. Judges 16:21 Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding grain in the prison.
Eventually throughout life, there is always a cost to blatant disregard for the instructions of the Lord. In Samson’s case, he revealed the secret of his strength while his guard was down. Samson was no pushover. He was mighty but had assumed he would always be on track with God regardless of what he said or did.
Thank God for the Lord’s mercy because Samson repented and was used one more time to bring the judgment of God upon the Philistines. Judges 16:28 And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. 30 And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.
There is a spiritual orbit to life and the gravity of God’s ways keep us on track. Is a train free if it runs off the tracks? No, it needs the alignment of the rails to allow it to pull tonnage beyond belief and move smoothly with all that weight. Is a kite free without the strength of the cord connecting it to the hand of the handler? No, the kite needs to be tied to a strong connected cord so that the kite can be maneuvered beautifully in the high pressured winds it finds itself freely flying in.
If the train and kite could talk, they would say plainly, their joy comes because of obeying the boundaries of grace that help them fulfill their purpose. Well, saints, the joy of the Lord and our connection to Him is our strength. The Lord gives us the ability to stay within the gravity of God’s pull on our lives. Neh. 8:10b For the joy of the Lord is your strength. Therefore, we freely orbit the Son of God and become truly free. Free indeed. John 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
Thank you miss Jasmine.
You make a difference too. Love you in Him who first loved us.
I really loved this blog post – it is funny how so many people think that freedom is the ability to pursue and secure any worldly desire, when it is nothing but prison and death. I love your “truly free indeed”, because as we stop living and pursuing like the world, and only look to Him, the sense of true peace and freedom is staggering. I have been really focusing on “getting caught up in God” instead of “getting caught up in things” in this last while, and this blog was so perfect.
Thank you, Norm. You make such a difference :)
Wow! Nice insight. Thank you Doug.
Thanks Norm! I like the comment about rain not falling but being drawn down by gravity. The same language is used of the Holy Spirit 'falling'. Is it possible that He too is drawn down and attracted to the gravitational pull of a hungry heart?