May 3, 2011

5-3-11 Tuesday, 4:34 am Springfield, 38 degrees, clear.

There was almost a May frost last night, but I think my plants will be okay. Warm and sunny weather will follow for a couple of days. Audrey made it safely to Los Angeles last night. I will join her there on Thursday, as we prepare to celebrate Bethany’s graduation from college. Yesterday was well spent, with a trip to the radio station to record a promo for the APU choir and orchestra concert, a noon stop by the church to celebrate the birthday of one of our staff, barbequing in the afternoon, a 3.2 mile run (pathetically slow) and then to the airport with Audrey.

Judges 13-16 (yesterday I read the May 3 selection, as I was a day ahead of reality!)

This is the tragic story of Sampson. Reading these 4 chapters I have the following reflections:
1. The way God appeared to his parents in the form of an angel is similar to the angel appearances to Mary and Joseph
2. Sampson had a lack of wisdom with regards to women
a. He saw a Philistine, and convinced his parents to help him get her for his wife.
b. She pestered him to death to get the answer of the riddle he had proposed to the 30 men who partied with him, and on the 7th day he gave it to her, and she promptly broke his confidence and told the men
c. He went into a harlot and barely escaped the Philistines
d. He fell in love with Delilah, who like his first wife betrayed his confidence after pestering him to find out the source of his strength. When learning that shaving his head would eliminate his strength, she had someone do it while he slept on her lap. The Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes.
3. God used Sampson as a judge of Israel for 20 years, even with his weaknesses. At the end of his life, he killed more Philistines in his death (collapsing the house) then he had in his life.

How can I apply these chapters to my life today? What is it that God wants me to obey from scripture? Here are a few possibilities: Order my life carefully, in what I eat, drink and do, as the Nazarite way was powerful in Sampson’s development. As I turned 50 I took a vow to consume no beverage alcohol, and God has been honoring that discipline. I will continue to eat healthy, good and clean food, and exercise regularly. I must be extremely careful in regards to the opposite gender, as God has blessed the marriage covenant with Audrey for now 28 years, and the evil one would destroy this if he could. I will lean upon the power of God in my life, and lean into the building up of the body of Christ with the strength that He has given me, today, and each day of my life.

For a book study tomorrow led by the pastors of Ridgecrest and Second Baptist, I will read a chapter from Charles Stone’s Five Ministry Killers and How to Defeat Them.

Thank you Lord for this day, and all that lies ahead. Guide the work you have entrusted to me, that I may faithfully serve as a pastor, shepherd and servant leader.