Date: 04-02-2021

Title: Saddest Words In The Bible

(S) cripture:
    Judges 16:20 (NLT2) Then she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” When he woke up, he thought, “I will do as before and shake myself free.” But he didn’t realize the LORD had left him.

(O) bservation:
    After three failed attempts by Delilah to have Sampson captured because of his deception as to the source of his strength, Samson told her the truth. On the previous three attempts Sampson rose and broke what bound him because of the Lord’s presence and power. On this final time he rises and thinks things are just like they had always been but “he didn’t realize the Lord had left him“. For me, those words are the saddest words in the Bible.

(A) pplication:
    Sampson was set apart at birth by God with a Nazarite vow. That vow came with some stipulations that were not to be broken. In the story of Samson’s life, we see him compromising some of those standards. The final compromise came with revealing to Delilah the true source of his strength. Compromising who we are called to be in Christ is a scary thing. Even though now, because of the death and resurrection of Jesus and our faith in Him, the Lord does not leave us, we still do experience the loss of his power in our lives. Compromise is a good thing in the political realm but in our following of the Lord it is disastrous. Today I want to follow Jesus fully and without compromise. I want to be and live as he called me to be and live.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, make me aware of when I am tempted to compromise who you have called me to be and let me fully follow you alone. Hear my confession when I stray and thank you for your forgiveness that allows me to fully follow again. Amen