Does anybody else notice that even at the end of his life Samson's prayer is self-serving and vengeful? And despite that, God answers his prayer. Weird, huh?
When I was young I heard a preacher say that if there was sin in our lives then it's impossible for God to hear our prayers. I was always confused by this, focusing on whether or not he would hear my prayers of repentance I'd prayed for the thousandth time. It was really disturbing. I'd lie in bed for hours asking God to forgive me time and time again for the very same thing. More often than not, I didn't do it because I was so sorry. I did it because I was afraid of going to Hell and I as afraid God wasn't listening!
But this passage of scripture blows a big hole in that theory! God always hears. God is always listening. Here's the point: my sin makes it harder for me to hear God's voice, not him hear my voice. God's silence does not mean he's absent. My sin makes it harder for me to hear him, because I'm giving myself to other things.
The whole reason Samson is in this position is because he stopped listening to God and gave himself to everything but God. But when Samson was at the bottom of the pit, he turned to God and God showed his faithfulness.
So...may you know that God hears you, no matter how near or far away from him you think you are, you're never out of earshot. The Father is listening. Are you?
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