A thought by Louie Giglio, from his book, Never Too Far (p. 63). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)
Louis says, "You can be a champion." And that may be great news for you today.
He says, "God the Son, Jesus Christ, offers genuine redemption. Have you ever noticed the powerful 'but' in some Bible stories? This is the intervening moment."
Judges 16:22 (NIV) says, "But the hair on [Samson’s] head began to grow again after it had been shaved. "
Louie is telling the story of Samson. He says, "Samson’s hair started making a comeback, and his hair symbolized his strength vested in the Spirit of God.
"The prophet Micah preached to his downtrodden people, 'Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light' (Micah 7:8 NIV).
"The consequences of sin were very real for Samson. He was blinded and condemned to be a slave. But God is always greater than any consequences. The story of God’s redemption is for everyone who puts their trust in Jesus for life and for salvation. Satan can knock us down, but we will rise. The real story is that Satan is going down, ultimately and eternally."
Louie says, "The apostle Paul tells us: 'When you were dead in your sins . . . God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.' (Colossians 2:13–15 NIV)
"So who’s the spectacle now? Who’s the laughingstock? I may sit for a while in the darkness of my own making, but God is my light, and he is going to plead my case through the blood of Jesus and make a public spectacle of Satan."
He goes on, "Samson’s story finishes in Dagon’s temple. 'There the former judge of Israel said, '"Put me where I can feel the pillars that support the temple, so that I may lean against them"' (Judges 16:26 NIV).'
"The temple was packed, and there were an extra three thousand spectators on the roof for this major event. Yes, the situation had gone off the rails for Samson. Yes, he had abandoned God’s calling on his life and faced the consequences, but he acknowledged that God was still able to make something amazing of his life. In Dagon’s temple, Samson prayed, 'Sovereign LORD, remember me' (v. 28 NIV)."
Louie says, "Samson continued: 'Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.' Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, Samson said, 'Let me die with the Philistines!' Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.
"In Samson’s last gasp, God’s power came back to him. The deliverance of all Israel started the day of Samson’s swan song. What he had not done in his lifetime, he did in his death, because our God is the God of the comeback."
Louie then says, "That’s the lesson for us. It’s never too late. We’re never too far gone. God is always good, and he always remembers us.
"Our prayer isn’t to get revenge on a group of people but to be strengthened once more so that we might live for God’s glory. We push with all our might on whatever stone pillars are keeping us bound. With God’s strength renewed in us, the walls of our prisons come toppling down."
And that can be true of you no matter what is holding you back from the comeback that God wants to give you. Will you reach out to Him and call out for His strength? Will you do that right now?
Yes, yes!
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