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"My Weakness, His Strength" by David Middendorf
Judges 16:1 Shimshon went to ‘Azah, where he saw a prostitute and went in to spend the night with her. 2 The people in ‘Azah were told that Shimshon had come, so they surrounded the place where he was and also set an ambush for him all night at the city gate. Their plan was to do nothing at night, but to wait until morning and then kill him. 3 However, Shimshon stayed in bed until midnight; then he got up, took hold of the doors of the city gate and the two posts as well, pulled them up, bar and all, hoisted them on his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of the hill overlooking Hevron.
4 After this, he fell in love with a woman who lived in the Sorek Valley, whose name was D’lilah. 5 The chiefs of the P’lishtim went up to her and said, “Coax him into telling you where his great strength comes from and how we can overcome him, so that we can tie him up and subdue him. If you do, each of us will give you 1,100 pieces of silver.” 6 D’lilah said to Shimshon, “Please tell me what it is that makes you so strong, and how someone could tie you up and subdue you.” 7 Shimshon replied, “If they tie me up with seven fresh bowstrings that have never been dried, I will become as weak as any other man.” 8 The chiefs of the P’lishtim brought up to her seven fresh bowstrings which had not been dried, and she tied him up with them. 9 Now she had people lying in wait in the inside room. So she said to him, “Shimshon! The P’lishtim have come for you!” But he snapped the bowstrings as easily as a piece of straw breaks when it touches fire, and the source of his strength remained unknown.
10 D’lilah said to Shimshon, “You’re making fun of me, telling me lies. Now, come on, tell me what it takes to tie you up.” 11 “All it takes,” he answered, “is to tie me up with new ropes that haven’t been used. Then I’ll become weak and be like anyone else.” 12 So D’lilah took new ropes, tied him up, and said to him, “Shimshon! The P’lishtim have come for you!” (The people lying in wait were in the inside room.) But he broke the ropes from off his arms like a thread.
13 D’lilah said to Shimshon, “Till now you’ve been making fun of me and telling me lies. Tell me what it takes to tie you up.” He said, “If you weave the seven locks of my hair across thread on a loom.” 14 So she fastened her cloth work in the loom with a pin and wove his hair in, then said to him, “Shimshon! The P’lishtim have come for you!” He awoke from his sleep and pulled away the loom pin and the interwoven cloth.
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Samson was not only the strongest man of that time, he must also have been the deepest sleeper to have ever lived! I have had long hair, and for my hair to be woven into fabric on a loom and not wake up seems impossible to me! Of course, many of the fears that Samson performed must have seemed just as impossible to those trying to capture him.
As a Nazarite, Samson had taken a vow never to cut his hair. His strength was a result of that vow to God. By the strength God gave to him, "Samson led Israel for twenty years in the days of the Philistines"[Judges 15:20].
However, Samson had weaknesses as well, and Delilah knew how to find his point of weakness. No matter how strong we are, no matter how confidant we may be in our abilities to withstand evil on our own, we all have a point of weaknesses. Knowing where our point of weakness is and depending on God's strength to counter our weakness will keep us from failing in our calling to glorify Him.
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Hymn for Today: "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" by Anonymous
1. I am weak but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I'll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.
Refrain:
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
2. Thro' this world of toil and snares,
If I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.
Refrain:
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
3. When my feeble life is o'er,
Time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o'er
To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.
Refrain:
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
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Thought of the Day: 2 Corinthians 3:12 Therefore, with a hope like this, we are very open —
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Please Pray: That many people in Grenada will come to know Yeshua the Messiahand receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
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Please Pray: That many people in Grenada will come to know Yeshua the Messiahand receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
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