Samson's life was a riddle. How could God use a man who showed his own self-will so frequently and whose life was far from holiness? The same question could be asked today. How can God use any of us? It is only by His grace. If He waits until we are all perfect, He'd never have anyone to use! Praise God that He does use us in spite of our imperfectness. One of the amazing facts of Scripture is that Samson, the weak and willful man with all his sins and failures, is listed in the Who's Who of Faith in Hebrews 11. Isn't that encouraging? It shows again the grace of God. How did his story begin? You have often heard the phrase, "I was brought up in a Christian home." Samson could have said he was a child of a believing home. Even before his birth he was dedicated to God. Josephus, the Jewish historian, also mentions Manaoh as a most godly man and his wife as an exceptional woman. He also was a Nazarite. God had said he must be. He must refrain from eating and drinking anything which came from grapes. He must let his hair grow and never have it cut. He was to be different (Numbers 6). However, he seems to have shown the seeds and signs of a strong-willed child at a very early stage. We do not know how his parents disciplined him. Carefully speaking, we have to say that when a child comes into a home in an unusual or special way, it is often hard for the parents to really discipline that child. God gave Samson a wonderful beginning and many remarkable blessings. Read verse 24 again. Why did he go wrong? We can only say what has been often said, 'There, but for the grace of God…..." Thank God again today for the kindness and grace in our lives. |
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