DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- OUR SOURCE OF STRENGTH

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – OUR SOURCE OF STRENGTH

"So the woman bore a son and called his name Samson; and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him." (Judges 13:24)

As we read the story of Samson, we think – "What a sad story." A man who had so much going for him, and yet his life was a disaster. The name Samson means "like the sun" – that is, distinguished or strong. He certainly was distinguished and strong in his body. He had a lot going for him, but he had weakness in his character.

His life is one failure after another. With all of his blessing from God, he was not able to overcome his weaknesses. One of his great weaknesses was his moral failures. First he saw a Philistine woman whom he desired to marry. His parents tried to talk him out of it, but he would not listen to them. He said, "Get her for me, for she pleases me well" (14:4). Even though God used this failure to attack the Philistines, still, it shows Samson's lack of godliness.

Then there was Delilah. Samson came under her spell, and lost his rationality. One would think that after being fooled three times, that he would have had enough sense to get away from her. Fooled once, shame on you; fooled twice, shame on me.

But no, because she kept nagging him for the truth, he finally told her the secret of his strength – that he was a Nazirite who had never cut his hair as a part of his vow to God. When we submit to fleshly desires, we lose our ability to think clearly.

It must have been an awful moment when he awoke from his sleep to find his hair cut and his strength gone. He thought he could break the bonds as he had before, but "he did not know that the LORD had departed from him" (16:20 ). It is a sad thing to see mighty men of God fail who have been used in dynamic ministry .

There is only one thing that will keep any of us from falling, and that is keeping ourselves close to God. As the Scripture says, "Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (I Corinthians 10:12), and, "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life" (Jude 20-21).

This means growing in our faith as we find in II Peter 5-8. Peter concludes by saying, "Brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble," or as the KJV say, "never fall (vs. 10)."

None of us are immune from falling. We cannot trust our own strength or abilities. The only security we have is in our commitment to the Lord Jesus. The only strength we have is His strength. Staying close to Him will keep us from falling.

Love, Dad