Are We Faithful to God’s Calling? Lessons from Samson

 

Are We Faithful to God’s Calling?

I believe that Samson did not live an exemplary life. We can see this in the biblical book of Judges, chapters 13 through 16. It is evident that, despite being chosen by God to deliver Israel from the Philistines, and despite being consecrated as a Nazirite from birth, he showed a lack of morality and disobedience to his vow at many points in his life.

Although God empowered him with extraordinary strength, Samson was very impulsive, and women were his greatest weakness.

He broke his vow by taking honey from the carcass of the lion and by revealing his secret to Delilah, who then had his hair cut. The Nazirite vow included abstaining from wine, not cutting one's hair, and not touching dead bodies.

Many of his actions were not characterized by the mark of God or by seeking the good of his people.

Even after his hair was cut, he continued to trust in his own strength. Sadly, he did not realize that the Lord had departed from him. His obedience and leadership were noticeably absent. Yet, despite not having lived an exemplary life, in the final moments of his life he prayed to God. God heard him and gave him strength because he had repented. At that moment, he killed more Philistines than he had killed throughout the rest of his life.

Judges 16:26–30

“Then Samson said to the young man who was leading him by the hand, ‘Let me feel the pillars on which the temple rests, so that I may lean against them.’ Now the temple was crowded with men and women, and all the rulers of the Philistines were there. There were about three thousand men and women on the roof, watching Samson being mocked.

Then Samson prayed to the Lord, ‘Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me take revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.’

Then Samson pushed against the two central pillars on which the temple stood. He braced himself against them, with his right hand on one and his left hand on the other.

Samson said, ‘Let me die with the Philistines!’ Then he pushed with all his strength, and the temple collapsed on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.”

Are we faithful to God’s calling and do we seek His guidance at all times? Or do we rely on our own strength?