11/20/12. Judges 14:1-20. THE GRACE OF GOD WAS WITH SAMSON-my devotional

Key Verse: 14:3-4                                                                             Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF

“³ His father and mother replied, “Isn’t there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me. She’s the right one for me.” ⁴ (His parents did not know that this was from the Lord, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over Israel.)”

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for being a friend to sinners. There is not many that we can call our friend, but you truly are. You are there for us. You are there with us. When all abandon, you are there, a faithful and true friend. Thank you Lord. I thank you for giving us the strength to embrace missions in life. I could never carry on without your help and your strength, guiding me every day. Thank you Lord for being may savior. I pray that the young people of Americamay know you as their savior too. Please help me to accept one word of God through this passage. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.  

Part 1: Prayerful and Supportive of Their Son (1-4).

Verses 1-4, “Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman. ² When he returned, he said to his father and mother, “I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.” ³ His father and mother replied, “Isn’t there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me. She’s the right one for me.” ⁴ (His parents did not know that this was from the Lord, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over Israel.)”

As time passed, Samson became bold to demand things he knew were sinful. He had potential, but he did not cultivate it in his younger years. It was hard on his parents, but they spoke truth to him, quietly bore with him, and prayed. Manoah was supportive. They put their faith into practice by holding on to the grace of God. They did not know that his rebellion was actually from God who was opening up a way to confront the Philistines. We don’t always know what God is trying to accomplish.

I can learn here a secret of parenting. I may have plans for my kids, but things may not, let me correct that, will not go as I planned. I have my own hopes and dreams, that all of my kids will get “A” marks in all of their classes. They will all have nice careers but to them, glorifying Jesus will be the top priority in their lives for all of them will love Jesus and the Gospel. All of them will be enchanted with theology and have a passion for missions. That all of them will want to be missionaries one day and head up many great works of God that will change history. They will all be struggling to know God, like Jesus did when he was 12 years old at the temple. They will have their ups and downs, but every time they will come to Jesus and overcome by holding into the word of God. They will all marry in the faith and bring their kids up in the ways of the Lord.  Wouldn’t this be nice and perfect?

Samson’s parents had plans for their son, which were good and noble plans. But they were not God’s plans. God’s plans for our kids may shock us. We may not agree with the way that God is leading. We all know that Augustine is a wonderful theologian and a man who changed the course of history. But we may forget the fact that he was a self proclaimed intellectual hedonist. He lived a sinful life. His mother prayed a lot for him and he was changed and he served the Lord in such a powerful and wonderful way throughout his life. What about Billy Graham’s son, Franklin. He confessed that he was far from God. But he gave his heart to Jesus and he is now being used by God in so many wonderful ways. Samson was a hedonistic guy, but he did go on to lead his people for 40 years and lead them to stand up as a nation of God, to fight off their enemies. At the end of his life God used him to deliver a decisive blow to his enemies. (Bringing down thetempleofDagon.)

When I think about my own life, I realize that I was sinning greatly against Jesus for the first 22 years of my life. I was a destructive hedonist. Even after meeting Jesus I wasted so many precious moments because of my love for the world. But God bore with me. He loved me and hoped in me and guided my life. He is using my past so that I can serve him now. I can use my testimony to reveal the greatness of God. I can use my experience to minister the Gospel to the young people of this nation. It was not a waste, actually, but the perfect will of God.

And so I need to learn from Samson’s father. I don’t constantly have to correct them. I need to set the example and pray. I can teach the truth, but in the end, I must bear with my kids (and others close to me). I need to pray for them and be supportive and trust the Lord that he is guiding them in the right way and along the right path in life. Who knows what they will accomplish for the glory of God in the years to come? Only God knows. I repent that I only want to micromanage my kid’s lives in order to make them perfect according to my standard. I repent of hindering the work of the Holy Spirit in my family and also my ministry. I pray that I may follow the example of Samson’s father.

Part 2: God’s Grace is Greater Than Our Sin (5-20).

Verses 5-20, “Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him. ⁶ The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done. ⁷ Then he went down and talked with the woman, and he liked her. ⁸ Some time later, when he went back to marry her, he turned aside to look at the lion’s carcass, and in it he saw a swarm of bees and some honey. ⁹ He scooped out the honey with his hands and ate as he went along. When he rejoined his parents, he gave them some, and they too ate it. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the lion’s carcass. ¹⁰ Now his father went down to see the woman. And there Samson held a feast, as was customary for young men. ¹¹ When the people saw him, they chose thirty men to be his companions. ¹² “Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can give me the answer within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes. ¹³ If you can’t tell me the answer, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.” “Tell us your riddle,” they said. “Let’s hear it.” ¹⁴ He replied, “Out of the eater, something to eat; out of the strong, something sweet.” For three days they could not give the answer. ¹⁵ On the fourth day, they said to Samson’s wife, “Coax your husband into explaining the riddle for us, or we will burn you and your father’s household to death. Did you invite us here to steal our property?” ¹⁶ Then Samson’s wife threw herself on him, sobbing, “You hate me! You don’t really love me. You’ve given my people a riddle, but you haven’t told me the answer.” “I haven’t even explained it to my father or mother,” he replied, “so why should I explain it to you?” ¹⁷ She cried the whole seven days of the feast. So on the seventh day he finally told her, because she continued to press him. She in turn explained the riddle to her people. ¹⁸ Before sunset on the seventh day the men of the town said to him, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” Samson said to them, “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle.” ¹⁹ Then the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him. He went down to Ashkelon, struck down thirty of their men, stripped them of everything and gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle. Burning with anger, he returned to his father’s home. ²⁰ And Samson’s wife was given to one of his companions who had attended him at the feast.”

The Spirit of the Lord became manifest in Samson’s unusual strength to the extent that he could kill a lion. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him when he struck down thirty men, stripped them of everything, and gave their clothes to those who had solved the riddle. Samson impulsively used the gift God gave him for impulsive, selfish purposes. We wonder why God would be with him. His parents thought he had fallen away, but God was with him and blessing him. It is God’s grace.

God gives us strength and discipline to accomplish many things in this world.  He has given me strength to work and study the Bible and “do” ministry. I can take care of my family. I can do all things through him who gives me strength. But what about if I used the strength that God gives me to just seek after my own selfish plans? What if I chose to live for my own glory and pleasure, rather than for God’s? Well, this happens more often than not. I do use some that God gives me for worldly desires. I repent of this.

But, not making this an excuse, God is greater than all my sin. Like he used Samson for a great task God will use me and my family and friends for a great task in this world. He is already blessing us in so many ways. Recently we could be a blessing at the Fall Bible school at DuPage UBF. I thank God for this. Of course I want to use all that I have for the glory of Jesus, but I also know that God is in control. He makes all kinds of sinners sources of blessing to their generation.

Prayer: Lord, I confess that I don’t always know what you are doing. I write people off when I should not. Help me to live in hope and quietly pray.

One Word: Speak truth, pray, and patiently bear