Two choices

August 25, 2006

By Larry Ambrose

“He did not know that the Lord had left him” (Judges 16:20, NIV).

Isn’t that one of the saddest phrases in the Bible? In the story of Samson, when Delilah finally got the truth out of him about the source of his strength, the Philistines came upon him as they had tried to before … only this time his strength was gone.

Was Samson’s source of strength really his hair? If so, it was only because God said so. To me the truth of the matter was this: Samson lost his strength when he disobeyed God. He allowed his hair to be cut against the vow to God his family had taken.

We’re not passing the buck here. Delilah had a part in it. But Samson knew what she might do. That’s why he lied to her on three previous attempts. And she proved his instincts, or dare I say discernment, correct. That whole relationship was another aspect of Samson’s disobedience, so he was ultimately responsible.

Hmmm … So, disobeying God saps our spiritual strength. Food for thought.

We’ll come back to that.

Three times previously in the story of Samson we find him doing great feats of strength that only came after the following phrase: “The Spirit of the Lord came upon him.”

Help me see if I have this straight. Obey God … Spirit of the Lord comes … great and mighty things happen. Disobey God … no evidence of the Spirit of the Lord … fall into state of weakness.

“He did not know that the Lord had left him.”

I don’t know about you, but I know which of those paths I’d rather choose in life.

Larry Ambrose is music pastor at First Assembly of God in Chandler, Ariz.