A God of Second Chances 10/31/2013

"Then Samson called to the Lord and said, 'O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me just this time, O God, that I may at once be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.'” Judges 16:28

This simple passage of Scripture does not readily reveal the profound impact of repentance and the amazing forgiveness of God, but careful study of the story and the man, Samson, will leave the fervent seeker awestruck, humbled and grateful.

In those days, the people of Israel were in a retched cycle of being blessed by God, turning their backs on Him in favor of other gods, being subjected by force to the whims of other nations, crying out to God for relief and being rescued by Him. On this particular occasion, the people had been under the subjugation of the Philistines for 40 years. God, in His infinite mercy, sent his angel to a woman named Manoah and, among other things, instructed her that she would bear a son and that through him, Israel would begin to be "saved from the hands of the Philistines," Judges 13:5. This was the beginning of the story and purpose of Samson.

Now the rest of his story is well known. He was born a Nazirite (one who is particularly dedicated to God, typically by vow and the observance of certain habits and restrictions), grew in supernatural strength, became a judge of the people and famously fought and defeated the Philistines on numerous occasions. It is also well known that Samson was a very flawed man. He had habits and desires that were not in keeping with his calling. He frequently made mistakes in judgment and failed to comport himself at some critical times and was known to visit prostitutes. He is perhaps best known for his involvement with the treacherous Philistine woman, Delilah. It is to her that, despite proving herself unworthy of his trust on at least three occasions that might have resulted in his death, he reveals the secret of his strength resulting in the breaking of his Nazarite vow and the loss of his power.

Beloved, it is easy for us to sit in judgment of Samson. We ask ourselves how he could have been so stupid, thereby inferring that we could never be guilty of such transgression and lack of good decision making. But is that strictly true? Has not God created each of us for His own glory? Has he not instructed us in His ways and given us a mission to do battle with the enemy? Have we not been distracted by the perceived benefits of that same enemy and actually done business with him? In some ways, times and situations, we are all Samson.

That said, we serve the same God as Samson. When he had come to fully understand the error of his ways, he remembered his purpose, he remembered his God given ability and he remembered his God. Through His amazing love and forgiveness, God came to the aid of Samson, even as He had to the people of Israel through Samson, and strengthened him for his original intended purpose. God never forsakes us. It is we who leave Him. But just as the father of the prodigal son, He constantly awaits our return and receives us when we come. All praises to Him for being a God of second (and third and fourth and fifth...) chances.

Committed,

Lee

Living in Denial-4/23/2012

"Jesus said to him, 'Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.' Peter said to Him, 'Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You.' All the disciples said the same thing too." Matt 26:34-35

Peter's denial of Jesus is one of the most sobering and tragic narratives in the New Testament Scriptures. The argument could easily be made that Peter was the Lord's closest companion and most staunch supporter. He was always one who seemed to take the lead among the apostles, the one whose faith allowed him to walk on water and the one who used violence to defend him in the Garden of Gethsemane. How then could it be that he would be the one whose denial is graphically documented for all time?

Beloved a better question is "Have I denied Jesus?" Our knee jerk reaction is "No!" We may, however, need to rest our knees and give the question some serious thought. Denials can take many forms. Have you ever taken a position contrary to what the bible teaches? Have you ever said or done anything that is counter to your faith. Have you failed to stand up for what you know is right or looked the other way when you saw someone in obvious need? Do your friends know you as one person and your church family knows you as another? Peter is certainly the poster child for such denial, but all of the other apostles made the same claim of fidelity and each of them, except John, abandoned him in his greatest our of need.

In truth, none of us are exempt from this great sin. Despite our occasional lack of faith, it is important to know that we serve a loving and forgiving Lord. Peter was famously restored to fellowship and standing among the apostles when Jesus asked him three times, "Do you love me?" His answer was in the affirmative then Jesus said, "Follow me."

Rejoicing in the Lord,

Lee

The Benefit of Guilt-DD 2/10/11

"I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything" 2 Cor 7:9

One might never think so, but a guilty conscience can be a wonderful thing. It certainly is uncomfortable at the time but it is an excellent indicator of when we are off the path. One seldom feels bad about doing something good, but for those of good conscience, there is never a good feeling for doing something bad.

Paul would seem to imply that this is a gift from God. If we feel bad enough to never want to feel that way again, it leads to us resolving to never again do what caused the bad feelings in the first place. This is the essence of the relationship between sorrow and repentance.

Beloved, just as pain is placed in our body to indicate a clear and present problem, guilt and sorrow are placed in our minds concerning those things which can destroy the body and soul. Let us pursue righteousness at all times by avoiding wrong at all cost. God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

Loving Like Jesus,

Lee