Super-heroes with special powers are hot on the market right now—new ones that we’ve never heard of before, and old ones that we loved when we were kids. The life of Samson recorded in the book of Judges has been the super-hero of Sunday School lessons for hundreds of years. His astonishing strength was not, as we might casually observe, in his uncut hair. The secret of his toughness lay in his vowed relationship to God. Great manifestations of Samson’s power are recorded along with the words, “and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him.” Apart from God, Samson was like any other man. It was his relationship with the mighty God that enabled him to receive, at the crucial moment, the strength that he needed. .
But Samson’s story does not end there. He began to consider lightly his secret of strength until finally he broke his connection with God and his privilege of instant help. When he allowed the conniving Delilah to cut his hair, he destroyed the symbol of his dependence upon God. When he most needed help, it was not there. The Scripture says, “But he did not know that the Lord had left him.” So careless had he become of his relationship with God that he lost his strength and was not even aware that it was gone! Nor was just his strength gone—the Lord Himself had departed, and with Him went Samson’s strength and Divine help for his time of need.
But words of great hope are written of the blind and imprisoned Samson. “The hair on his head began to grow again.” So all was not lost! Samson returned to his vow, renewing the obedience required by the relationship he had with God. In the final crisis of his life, he acknowledged his dependence on the Almighty. “O Sovereign Lord, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more.” Bracing himself against the central pillars of the temple, he pushed with all his might, causing the destruction of the building and all those in it—including Samson himself. While in shackles, Samson had returned to the God of mercy, readying himself for the hour of need. And then, when this moment came, Divine help was present.
We are not able to look ahead into our future, and see just when our great hour of need will come. If we look closely at Hebrews 4:16, though, we may see that there is more to be gained in an encounter with God than help for the present hour alone. “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”
Certainly there is grace to help now, in this moment. But in asking for mercy, for the compassion and forgiveness of the Father, we are establishing a relationship with Him. Then in time of need—perhaps now, perhaps later—there will be grace to help us. Of course, grace is not actually accumulative. It cannot be hoarded, stored up for the day when we might need it. Yesterday’s blessing and strength are not sufficient for today, nor can today’s portion be extended for tomorrow’s need. However, our relationship with the Source of grace and help can be—must be—established and maintained and strengthened. It is that relationship that makes grace instantly available when needed.
Come to the Throne of Grace, obtaining mercy and refreshing the inner union of your spirit with God. Then you will never have Samson’s experience of finding that The Present Help is not there.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotation taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment