Today’s Reading Judges 13-15
Focal Scripture: Judges 14:17 “She wept the whole seven days of the feast, and at last, on the seventh day, he explained it to her, because she had nagged him so much. Then she explained it to her people.”
Here we see that Samson is given many gifts, unfortunately picking his bride was not one of them. Samson was blessed by the Lord with strength. He was blessed by the Lord to accomplish great tasks. He fought for the people. However, he picked a person with his eyes and not one that was compatible with his belief system. This would cause him many problems and eventually lead to his demise.
The Lord and Samsons family wanted him to pick people that thought like him and believed like him. Samson, did not listen to their advice. Here we see in this passage that she manipulated and influenced Samson to get her way. Not only to get her way but to ruin her husband and his people. This was not a union that was pleasing to the Lord but the Lord let it happen none the less.
The lesson for believers is that you need to be careful in whom you choose to date and especially in whom you marry. They may have every attribute and check off every box you are looking for but if they are not like minded in beliefs you will have heartache. Samsons wife was more concerned about her people than she was her husband. Biblical marriage can only thrive when both people are all in with God and then all in with one another.
Yes, you should be attracted to the person you date and marry. Yes, you should get along. However, what matters most for a biblical relationship goes beyond the physical. Do they have good character and do you want to travel the same way in life? A successful marriage can not have one party who is trying to sabotage or ruin the other. A bad choice in relationships can cause problems for years to come. Find someone who is passionate for God and then will be passionate for your desire to serve the Lord with all that you have.
Don’t miss out on how good leadership is missing in Israel and in the choice of spouse with Samson. When you follow God you have to have a different standard. You must act and think differently. Decisions are based on God’s standards not human standards. The book of judges should reveal to all of us how we make decisions and if they are God honoring.
The results will speak for themselves as others view our lives. So what type of relationship do you desire? This is important to understand before you find yourself in a perpetual fight for your spiritual life.
Tomorrow I plan on reading Judges 16-18
