Our obedience is our strength — a lesson from Sampson

Does God care about our obedience?

There's a story in the Hebrew Bible, in the book of Judges about a prophecy delivered by an angel to an infertile family, that they would have a son who would begin to defeat the Philistine enemies of Israel.  This is the story of Sampson.

Before Sampson was born, an angel of God appears to his mom, then Manoah, Samson's dad. Three times the angel repeats the command:

• Don't cut his hair.

• Don't drink wine or strong drink

• Don't eat any unclean food

God had a special calling on his life, and yet it was contingent on obedience.

(Don't miss that two thirds of which were dietary instructions!?)

After a long story of ups and downs that feel straight of a 90s soap opera, Samspon pushes the boundaries of how we would expect a "man of God" with call from the Lord on his life to act.

• 1️⃣ After a betrayal at the hand of his father in law who gave his wife to a friend, he sets 300 foxes ablaze and burns down the towns grain, vineyards, and olive trees.

• 2️⃣ While protecting his city, God's Spirit descends upon him and he defeats 1,000 Philistine men with a donkeys jawbone.

• 3️⃣ He later carries the city gate of Gaza away while a gang of people attempt to ambush him.

After all of these years and stories of, we get to the famous story with Delilah, the Philistine lover of money and idols who was manipulating Sampson to reveal the source of his strength.

After a few rounds of playing the fool, he caves.

He tells her it's his hair.

He gave up the only thing that mattered: his obedience to God to not cut his hair was his source of strength.

While Sampson was sleeping, after this seemingly innocent admission, Delilah has someone cut his hair.

Once his hair was cut, the Lord left him

👉 and he didn't even know it. 👈

A lifetime of obeying God's three simple commands, broken because of disobedience that signified his lack of trust.

Obeying God's instruction is a way that we have faith. It's a way that we show him we trust Him and his ways.

And this is the ultimate question of our lives: do we trust Him enough to do whatever He says; to go wherever he leads us?

A faith that leads to belief without any action to back it up is no faith at all.

It's likely that God didn't appear to your parents, emphasizing that you were to take a Nazarite vow for life—but is there something in your life that the King of the universe has been telling you, nudging you to do?

Have you listened and obeyed?

Or have you been pushing it aside, worrying about the what ifs, the doubts, explaining it away, and worrying what others will think?

Would that be worth sacrificing your obedience?

Would you know if God's presence left you?

What is that first thing that came to mind just now? The one buried in the back of your mind that you've tried hard to ignore.

Maybe you know you need to ask forgiveness from someone you hurt. Maybe it's time to step out in faith and pursue that opportunity. Maybe you need to have a difficult conversation. Maybe it's time to finally list the house for sale.

Perhaps it's been a few weeks, maybe a few years.

Whatever it is, what is the next step you can take towards obedience?

What if on the other side of your obedience is God's presence? What if that step you've been avoiding is what will finally lead to God's purpose being fulfilled in your life?

After having his eyes gouged out, being imprisoned, and forced to push a millstone around to grind wheat for his enemies, slowly, Sampson's hair grows back out.

He hears the festive roar of the crowd celebrating and worshiping their god Dagon for delivering Sampson into their hands.

With all of the Philistine rulers watching and laughing, Sampson prays, "O, Lord God, please remember me and give me strength..."

Then, God's Spirit comes over him one final time, allowing him to destroy the 3000 enemies of Israel, fulfilling God's call that Sampson would begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.

In God's mercy, Sampson has a final chance to obey. Even in circumstances that looked like the end, there was hope and an opportunity to trust the Lord and to  obey one last time.

Perhaps you've ignored God's instruction whispered to your heart. Maybe you've pushed off the prompting of God's Spirit to act.

It's time to go back and revisit that last clear instruction.

To repent.

To turn back to God.

To obey his voice.

And as you do, may His Spirit rest on you in an unmistakable way. May his lovingkindness and mercy surround you in your trusting faith.

And may you come one step closer to knowing this great King who wants our hearts.