March 14th

March 14th -- Judges 16:22-31 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges%2016:22-31&version=NLT)

Samson's final victory.


So Samson was captured by the Philistines and thrown in prison, after he told Delilah his secret of his strength (it was because he had never cut his hair as he was told not to) and she sold him out. However, the thing about hair is, it regrows. So, his strength also began to keep coming back slowly.

So the Philistines throw this huge festival to offer praise to their god, Dagon, for letting them overcome Samson. Due to the partying, the people were all becoming drunk, so they suggested Samson be brought out as entertainment. He was brought out and tied between the pillars that held up the roof of the place. Samson asks the servant who brings him out to put his hands on the pillars, so he can rest against them, and the servant does so. Now this temple was PACKED. It was FULL of people, including all the Philistine rulers. It was so full, there were 3,000 people on the roof alone because they would not fit into the building.

Samson, while there "resting" against the pillars, and amusing the people (I'm not entirely sure what is meant by that, and my Study Bible has no note at the bottoms explaining it, but it explains that typically during those festivals prisoners would be tortrued for amusement, so I think it's safe to assume Samson was being tortured there) was also praying. He prays that God will remember him, and asks that He will let him pay back the Philistines for gouging out his eyes. He begins to push on the pillars, praying to God to let him die with the Philistines... and the whole temple crashes, killing them all. In that moment Samson killed more people than he had in all his life. Later, his body would be found by his brothers, taken, and buried with his father's.

This story always compels me to push myself more in my faith. Samson gave his life to make a blow to the Philistines. He did not just give in to them, and let them have their amusement then throw him back in jail. Instead, he cries out to God, and God hears and answers.

Now, you may be as confused as I was at first as to why God answered. I mean, Samson was asking for God to help him despite all the times he seemed to have messed up recently. Why did God answer? Love. Simply out of love. Despite all that Samson had done, God still loved him, so He heard Samson's cry to let him make this final blow to the Philistines.

My point is, no matter what we've done, God doesn't give up on us, or love us less. (See Romans 8:31-39 if you want that right out of the Bible) He will not look at out pasts, try and tally it up, and then judge if we deserve having Him hear and answer our prayer, or grant us that miracle we pray for so wholeheartedly. When we can confess that we are sinners and do not deserve anything but death, but we can still ask for Him to hear us out, He always will. That doesn't mean He'll automatically give us what we pray for just because we pray for it. However, it means we're NEVER too far gone to be heard by Him. Matthew 7:7 "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you." This verse is used referring to prayer. Just like Samson didn't give up, we shouldn't either. We have to keep praying, and pray believing God will answer you (Mark 11:24 "I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours."). Don't take that so literally as praying for a unicorn and getting one, because remember still that prayer should be based on a desire for things that bring glory to God.

Whatever you are going through, and whatever choices you may have to make, remember you're not alone in making them. Talk to God. Pray for wisdom for you, and anyone else involved. Ask that His will be done, and that He will give you the grace to accept it if it may not be what you wanted. He will never let you down, and you will always be satisfied when you are truly keeping Him at the centre of your life.

Well, that shall be all. God bless! Shalom!

Also, in regards to prayer, if there is anything I can be praying for, feel free to message me anonymously at http://emdaisy1.tumblr.com/ask . I am planning to start keeping a book of prayer requests, and any sent to me will be added. After all, Galatians 6:2 says "Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ." ☺