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?
Showing posts with label Judges. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Judges. Show all posts
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
SOLO Day 24 – Judges 13:2-3, 6-9, 17-20
Just a quick note: the kid mentioned in the final verses is not a child, it's a goat. I didn't want there to be a misunderstanding-like God was asking them to sacrifice the child he just gave them. That's another story...
I love the real-ness that this story portrays. An angel show's up to Manoah's wife (weird that it doesn't mention her name, right?) and their response is, "Ask God to send the messenger again so we can figure out how to raise this kid!" I love that! Just a willingness to be honest.
And I can't help but wonder how Manoah felt hearing about the angel's appearance second hand. You ever experienced that. Something amazing or crazy awesome happens, but you hear about it from another person because you didn't get to experience it yourself? So Manoah prays that the angel will return, and it does, but again to his wife. How would you feel if that were you? You pray and ask God to move, and he does, but not to you directly or in the way you thought?!
Personally, this teaches me something about my prayer life. Am I praying selfishly, even if it's not intentionally selfish, even if it's subconsciously? I'm not implying that Manoah's prayer was selfish. I love that he responded to his wife's claims with prayer! Am I open to God responding how he wishes, or am I truly open to however and whatever he wants to do.
One other thought, from a completely opposite side of the spectrum: Manoah prayed and God gave him ownership. It wasn't his wife's story anymore-now he was a participant. God is always more real to us when we experience him for ourselves and not simply through another's eyes.
So may you feel comfortable asking God to speak to you further and give you greater insight. May you pray expecting him to respond, even if it's not the way you expect. And may your relationship to God be real and alive, because it's yours and not someone else's!
I love the real-ness that this story portrays. An angel show's up to Manoah's wife (weird that it doesn't mention her name, right?) and their response is, "Ask God to send the messenger again so we can figure out how to raise this kid!" I love that! Just a willingness to be honest.
And I can't help but wonder how Manoah felt hearing about the angel's appearance second hand. You ever experienced that. Something amazing or crazy awesome happens, but you hear about it from another person because you didn't get to experience it yourself? So Manoah prays that the angel will return, and it does, but again to his wife. How would you feel if that were you? You pray and ask God to move, and he does, but not to you directly or in the way you thought?!
Personally, this teaches me something about my prayer life. Am I praying selfishly, even if it's not intentionally selfish, even if it's subconsciously? I'm not implying that Manoah's prayer was selfish. I love that he responded to his wife's claims with prayer! Am I open to God responding how he wishes, or am I truly open to however and whatever he wants to do.
One other thought, from a completely opposite side of the spectrum: Manoah prayed and God gave him ownership. It wasn't his wife's story anymore-now he was a participant. God is always more real to us when we experience him for ourselves and not simply through another's eyes.
So may you feel comfortable asking God to speak to you further and give you greater insight. May you pray expecting him to respond, even if it's not the way you expect. And may your relationship to God be real and alive, because it's yours and not someone else's!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
SOLO Day 23 – Judges 7:1-7
Who knows you better than anyone else in the world? For me, it's easy. My wife Carrie knows me so well, she can often predict How I'm going to react and sometimes, the very words I'll use.
This past week she was killing me! We were sitting on our couch chatting, and she was in rare form, making me laugh simply because she knew what I was thinking and I couldn't get anything past her. Even though I try to be spontaneous and hold my cards close to my chest, she can read me like a book. Rarely can I get anything by her.
Carrie knows me pretty well, but God knows me better! And by the way, he knows you too!
When I read this story I'm so impressed by the numbers that are involved. God lowers the numbers of the Israelite army from 32,000 to 300. Did you catch that? 31,700 Israelite soldiers have left! There are 300 men that Gideon leads against thousands upon thousands of Midianites. If you were to read the entire chapter of Judges 7 you'd read that God gave Gideon and the Israelites the victory. That's really cool, 300 verses thousands, and the Israelites win. Crazy odds-cool story!
But the one line that really jumped out at me was this, "You have too large an army with you. I can't turn Midian over to them like this—they'll take all the credit, saying, 'I did it all myself,' and forget about me." God knows our hearts. Just like Carrie can read me in certain circumstances God can read me ALWAYS. He knows our inclination to accept all the credit when something is great, but blame him when it's not. God doesn't desire to share his glory, just the blessings of it! And God's clear: 32,000 or even 10,000 soldiers overcoming the odds isn't miraculous enough. It needs to be evident that the odds were insurmountable-that the Israelites had no chance-without him.
Can you imagine what he can do through a life completely surrendered to him? I believe God's wants to do crazy, miraculous stuff in us and through us. What would happen if we humbled ourselves and asked him to do things that could only be done by him? The type of things there's no way I could do for myself so it's clearly a miracle.
My prayer is that we will see God do immeasurable things in us and through us, and that we ask for more. Not for things to be selfishly consumed or for things that improve our status, but the really crazy stuff like life change that's beyond yours and my capabilities! The really crazy wild things like eternal destination changes and healing within families. Stuff that only God can do. I pray that you will see and be a part! He knows you so well, and has your best in mind!
This past week she was killing me! We were sitting on our couch chatting, and she was in rare form, making me laugh simply because she knew what I was thinking and I couldn't get anything past her. Even though I try to be spontaneous and hold my cards close to my chest, she can read me like a book. Rarely can I get anything by her.
Carrie knows me pretty well, but God knows me better! And by the way, he knows you too!
When I read this story I'm so impressed by the numbers that are involved. God lowers the numbers of the Israelite army from 32,000 to 300. Did you catch that? 31,700 Israelite soldiers have left! There are 300 men that Gideon leads against thousands upon thousands of Midianites. If you were to read the entire chapter of Judges 7 you'd read that God gave Gideon and the Israelites the victory. That's really cool, 300 verses thousands, and the Israelites win. Crazy odds-cool story!
But the one line that really jumped out at me was this, "You have too large an army with you. I can't turn Midian over to them like this—they'll take all the credit, saying, 'I did it all myself,' and forget about me." God knows our hearts. Just like Carrie can read me in certain circumstances God can read me ALWAYS. He knows our inclination to accept all the credit when something is great, but blame him when it's not. God doesn't desire to share his glory, just the blessings of it! And God's clear: 32,000 or even 10,000 soldiers overcoming the odds isn't miraculous enough. It needs to be evident that the odds were insurmountable-that the Israelites had no chance-without him.
Can you imagine what he can do through a life completely surrendered to him? I believe God's wants to do crazy, miraculous stuff in us and through us. What would happen if we humbled ourselves and asked him to do things that could only be done by him? The type of things there's no way I could do for myself so it's clearly a miracle.
My prayer is that we will see God do immeasurable things in us and through us, and that we ask for more. Not for things to be selfishly consumed or for things that improve our status, but the really crazy stuff like life change that's beyond yours and my capabilities! The really crazy wild things like eternal destination changes and healing within families. Stuff that only God can do. I pray that you will see and be a part! He knows you so well, and has your best in mind!
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