I could feel the dread Monday night around eleven when the power flickered. I got up and got some last minute things done but within five minutes it went out again. Mike and I just sat on the sofa listening to the wind and pine cones and branches fall. I slept hot without the air conditioning and ceiling fan. We are so spoiled
Last week in my Bible study we were studying Samson and he knew about a ‘power outage.' Judges 16: 17, "So he told her everything. 'No razor has ever been used on my head,' he said, 'because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.' This made Delilah feel rich and powerful. Judges 16: 18, When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, 'Come back once more; he has told me everything.' So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands." Delilah played Samson right into her hands. Judges 16:19, "After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him." I am sure Samson woke up thinking that he would be victorious again but he did not know that the Lord had left him. Judges 16: 20, "'Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!' He awoke from his sleep and thought, 'I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.' But he did not know that the Lord had left him." Samson's power outage was very subtle and snuck up on him. We, too, can suffer from a power outage that sneaks up on us.
As Samson did things his way, playing with Delilah and the Philistines, he became self-sufficient and even arrogant. Although Samson had great strength, he had some character weaknesses. He was controlled by ungodly sexual appetites, he confided in the wrong people, and used his gifts and abilities unwisely. He became less dependent on God, and more dependent on himself. Samson wasted his life and used God’s gifts for selfish purposes. The Philistines blinded Samson but did not kill him. Judges 16: 28-30, "Then Samson prayed to the Lord, 'Sovereign Lord, remember me. 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." God granted his request and his day of defeat became his greatest victory!
We think we can handle things ourselves. Life is going well, maybe we are doing great in our business and don't really need God. We quit committing our daily time with God. It's not that we mean to but we are busy. Since we go through our day just fine, we don't feel bad about missing our time with God. Before long, we are out of that habit. All of sudden, we don't see it coming, but we have a power outage. All of a sudden something happens, maybe not even something major, but we feel like a pressure cooker getting ready to blow our lid.
With our power gone, we have no mercy to offer others. Everything gets on our nerves. The power outage becomes worse when our patience are wearing thin. We fail to notice our calls to ministry. The only way to prevent this power outage is to stay connected to the greatest Power Source! Only God can take our biggest defeat and turn it into our biggest victory!
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