Read: Judges 13: 2-13, Judges 14: 1-4, Judges 16: 1-31
I Will Not Live On The Edge Of Life
We have heard the statement many times, living life on the edge. This phrase can give or carry a positive connotation. There are many people who love to do daring things/feats such a jumping or parachuting from an airplane or zip lining from high mountains. They love the feeling, the exhilaration, and the rush that comes with taking risks or living life on the edge. The thought is, you are not living until you are living life on the edge!
But living life on the edge comes with inherent danger!
You get a glass of milk from the fridge, your mom warns, don’t put the glass so close to the edge of the counter! What do you do the next time; You put it even closer to the edge; for some reason putting the glass so near to the edge was more adventurous and risky, you want to see how close to the edge you can get it without it falling. Yes, you guessed it, one more inch, one more step and it’s Over; the glass fell off the edge; the glass broke, the milk is spilled, and you are in trouble.
Living on the edge means living life on impulses, stretching the boundaries, living life to satisfy the senses and gratifying the desires.
There are certain inherent risks/dangers that comes with living life on the edge.
One such person who lived his life on the edge was Samson.
His Purpose
Samson`s life began with such promise. His birth was prophesized by an angel and his purpose, mission and lifestyle were given even before he was born. Samson`s destiny was outlined from the very beginning and the repetition of his birth clearly emphasized his potential. Judges 13: 3-5, 13
His Impulses
The writer states, Now Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman…of the daughters of the Philistines. He said to his parents….now therefore, get her for me as a wife. Judges 14: 2
He (Samson) took some of it in his hands and went along, eating. When he came to his father and mother, he gave some to them…. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey out of the carcass of the lion. Judges 14: 9.
In only three chapters we see Samson`s mis-steps. Rather than seeing how closely he could walk with God, Samson tried to see how far he could walk away from God and get by with it. Samson seemed to walk on the borderline his entire life.
His Humiliation
Samson’s life came crashing to the ground. This is what happens when too many steps are taking towards the edge of the cleft. The writer gives us a glaring picture of this scene. Samson is captured and the writer states,
Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes and bound him…and he became a grinder in the prison. Judges 16: 21
His Unfulfilled Life
Samson`s life leaves us with many questions. Why did Samson disregard everything prophesied before his birth? Why did he live to satisfy himself rather than God, pursuing no sense of his destiny? Why did he manifest no apparent sense of God`s in his life? There were no mentions of patriotic service or interest in delivering his people, even though the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, 14: 6, 19, 15: 14; Samson did not use this divine enablement effectively, except for his own self-preservation and gratification. Samson`s focused was on satisfying his desires.
Samson lived a life on the edge and at the end of his life the writer makes this remarkable statement …So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life Judges 16: 30
His Cry
In the moment of great weakness, Samson does the smartest thing he has done in his life to this point; He summons God for help. In this short 27-word prayer, Samson speaks volumes, about himself and his God.
It was a cry of Humility.
This prayer that came from Samson`s lips was vastly different from the statement he made in chapter 15:16. In that verse, Samson demonstrated that he trusted in his abilities. Samson quotes a poem and his own greatness, he gives no glory to God but claim the glory for himself.
Now, Samson has been brought to the end of his abilities, he now sees himself as thy Servant. He humbles himself before God and acknowledges his utter dependence upon the Lord.
In our failures, when we humble ourselves, God can use them to advance his work
It was a cry for God to Remember him
In this cry Samson appeal to God, that God would not forget him, not to abandon him in his weakness and humiliation.
Samson was looking for three things 1) Grace- even though he was at fault, he wanted the favor of God; 2) Forgiveness- even though he had sinned, he wanted God`s acceptance and 3) Restoration- even though he failed on his purpose he wanted one more chance to fulfill his mission.
Pastor Charles Lawrence
Prayer Points
Impulses
We will not live by our Impulses but by the Spirit of God
So the woman bore a son and called his name Samson; and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him. And the Spirit of the Lord began to move upon him at Mahaneh Dan, between Zoran and Eshtaol
Spiritual Blindness
We do not want to suffer spiritual blindness, open our eyes to the risks and dangers around us
Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and they bound him… and he became a grinder in prison Judges 16: 20;
Elijah prayed, Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see 2 Kings 6:17-20
Live within our purpose
We will fulfill our God given purpose while we live
And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son…….. Please be careful not to drink wine or similar drink and not to eat anything unclean… no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines Judges 13: 3-5
So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life Judges 16: 30
Living our lives within God-given Boundaries and Limits
We will not defile ourselves but we will live by the Word of God
And he took some of it in his hands and went along, eating. When he came to his father and mother, he gave some to them, and they also ate. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey out of the carcass of the lion Judges 14: 9
Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch! Colossians 2: 21
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