Day 70, or March 11. God can change you if you let him.
Our thoughts today are rooted in Judges 15, verse 7. Samson said to them,
Since you acted like this, I swear that I won't stop until I get my revenge on you.
First, the big picture surrounding this verse.
Today we're considering one of the best known of Israel's judges. He's one of the best
known characters in the Bible. I remember regularly reading the account of Samson as
a child. I used the Sunday school gift that I still have today, a King James Bible. Samson
was dedicated to God by his parents, but he rebelled when it came to living according
to the promises involved, with being a Nazarite. He did, however, keep the long hair part of
the agreement. He wasn't good with women, and it finally cost him his hair and his eyesight
when he was betrayed by Delilah and captured by the Philistines. In his last days he came
to his senses and turned back to God. He died bringing a whole temple down upon him and
his enemies.
And now our action step for today. Samson was an impetuous man who acted first and thought
second. Some of us have this same weakness, and I believe that is why Simon Peter is amongst
the most popular disciples of Jesus. However, we need to be careful with this line of thinking.
Just because someone has a particular weakness and is nevertheless used greatly by God, it
doesn't mean that their weakness is acceptable in other people. I have to say that I do see
red on occasions when people say, well, that's just so-and-so. That's what they're like.
Not good enough. We are responsible before God to work with him on our sanctification.
It's not simply a matter of sitting back and expecting God to do everything. If you
have a particular weakness which you know is harming your daily witness, then ask God
today to help you to begin to put it right in your life. Take the first step and God
will be alongside you immediately, strengthening you in your resolve.