Today’s scripture: Judges 13:4-5, 16:16-22 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (E’sha Cooper):
Today’s story is about Samson. You know Samson; God’s Superman and Terminator in the Old Testament.
As the story reveals, Samson was chosen by God to help bring Israel out of bondage from the Philistines, although they had sinned against God. As God’s warrior, he could not eat anything unclean, drink alcohol or cut his hair. As long as Samson kept his part of the deal, God’s Spirit would give Samson supernatural strength.
Well, just like us, Samson had a weakness. Samson loved beautiful women. One of his affairs even cost him his eyesight. Samson had revealed to one of his girlfriends how he was truly empowered by God and she used it against him, delivering him into the hands of his enemies and they put out his eyes. They were able to do this because she let Samson’s enemies know that cutting his hair would weaken him.
How do we compare to Samson?
God has put us here for a purpose, but there are times we give into temptation and weakness. We have given our enemy (the devil) the key to our strength (walking tight with the Lord) and the weakness for money, women, men, possessions, control, power, etc., has caused us to lose the things that matter most. Essentially, our enemy has cut off our hair.
From that point we are now forced to live with our consequences and the future looks extremely dim. It can even seem like God has left us. But, thanks be to God, there is hope. “However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaven” (Judges 16:22). Hallelujah!
Here is what I hear the Lord saying: “Yes, you’ve made mistakes. Yes, you went left when I told you to go right. Yes, your enemy has cut off the mane of your strength. BUT it’s growing back!”
Thought for the day: God, thank you that my strength is growing back.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.