“Then Samson prayed to the Lord, ‘O Sovereign LORD, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines.”

Judges 16:28
Samson’s parents raised their Nazirite son as the Lord commanded. Manoah and his wife watched Samson grow in the Spirit of the Lord. They probably marveled at God’s wondrous gift to them. An angel had told them that their son would deliver Israel from the Philistines, but when Samson married a Philistine woman, he seemed to be straying from the plan. Wasn’t he supposed to deliver from the enemy, not be involved with them? What went wrong?
In God’s plan, nothing was wrong at all. He was working through Samson’s life to confront the Philistines (14:4). Though Samson let his passions guide him more than the Lord’s Spirit, God faithfully used him in the end to conquer the enemy.
We have a son who for a time rebelled and “strayed from the plan.” I recall wondering how Samson’s parents must have felt when their boy didn’t deliver Israel as they envisioned. Sometimes we just can’t see what God is doing in the life of a child or loved one. Trust Him to the end; He’s working in all our wayward situations, fulfilling His promises.



Scripture Focus

Judges 13

Insight

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5)

Bible In A Year

  • 1 Chronicles 2-3
  • Proverbs 25
  • Revelation 3-5

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