Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Judges 16:4-14.

“After this it came about that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.  The lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him, and see where his great strength lies and how we may overpower him that we may bind him to afflict him.  Then we will each give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.”  So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength is and how you may be bound to afflict you.”  Samson said to her, “If they bind me with seven fresh cords that have not been dried, then I will become weak and be like any other man.”  Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven fresh cords that had not been dried, and she bound him with them.  Now she had men lying in wait in an inner room.  And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!”  But he snapped the cords as a string of tow snaps when it touches fire.  So his strength was not discovered.

Then Delilah said to Samson, “Behold, you have deceived me and told me lies;  now please tell me how you may be bound.”  He said to her, “If they bind me tightly with new ropes which have not been used, then I will become weak and be like any other man.”  So Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!”  For the men were lying in wait in the inner room.  But he snapped the ropes from his arms like a thread.

Then Delilah said to Samson, “Up to now you have deceived me and told me lies;  tell me how you may be bound.”  And he said to her, “If you weave the seven locks of my hair with the web [and fasten it with a pin, then I will become weak and be like any other man.”  So while he slept, Delilah took the seven locks of his hair and wove them into the web].  And she fastened it with the pin and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!”  But he awoke from his sleep and pulled out the pin of the loom and the web.”  Judges 16:4-14.

——————

We are all familiar with this story of Delilah and Samson.  But, even as we read it again, we want to warn Samson:  “Don’t tell Delilah the secret of your strength!  She even is warning you of the purpose, “how you may be bound to afflict you.”

Look!  See how she used what you told her the first and second time to try to hurt you!!”

But, consider how often we do things to ourselves that results in us receiving affliction.  We even may receive more afflictions on what we do to ourselves than what others do to us.  We over-eat.  We over-drink.  We say and do things that we should not say and should not do (that result in us being afflicted).  We do not do things that we should do (that result in us being afflicted). 

We tend to think of God’s all sufficient grace as only helping us deal with unexpected afflictions that others cause us.  

But, as we read the concluding Scriptures, let us realize that God’s all sufficient grace also covers afflictions that we cause (or that at least we contribute) to ourselves as well as afflictions that others solely cause us.

In summary, God’s all sufficient grace covers our weaknesses as well as persecutions by others.

“Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself!  Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.  And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”  Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.  Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake;  for when I am weak, then I am strong.”  2 Corinthians 12:7-10.

“11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13 Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
14 For He Himself knows our frame;
He is mindful that we are but dust.” Psalm 103:11-14.

“The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:20-22.

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  Romans 8:28.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),”  Ephesians 2:4-5.