DAY 20: THE RICHES OF GOD’S MERCY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT IV- SAMSON

 THE RHEMA WORD FOR TODAY

(A DAILY DEVOTIONAL WITH PREACHER SAM)

 

TOPIC: THE RICHES OF GOD’S MERCY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT IV- SAMSON

DATE: 20 SEPTEMBER, 2021

BIBLE READING: JUDGES 16: 23-31

VERSE FOR MEDITATION: JUDGES 16:28 NLT

Then Samson prayed to the LORD, “Sovereign LORD, remember me again, O God, please strengthen me just one more time. With one blow let me pay back the Philistines for the loss of my two eyes.”

 

In our Bible reading, even our verse for meditation, we see that the prayer of Samson was the prayer for mercy and vengeance. And the Bible made us to understand that because Samson was shown mercy, he killed more people at his death than he had killed in his life.

The scripture says, “… for by strength shall no man prevail.” (1 Sam. 2:9). New Living Translation puts it this way, “… No one will succeed by strength alone.” There’s something you also need to prevail, and that is the mercy of God.

Contemporary English Version puts it this way, “… We cannot win a victory by our strength.” That was what Apostle Paul meant when writing to the church in Rome, “So then it not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.” (Rom. 9:16).

We may strive and thrive to succeed, but there are some stages in our lives when we will have no choice like Samson but to cry out for mercy. We were designed to depend on someone greater than us, that is why we must at all times trust in the Lord and in all your ways acknowledge Him (Prov. 3:1-8).

Psalms 127:1-2 NKJV

[1] Unless the LORD builds the house, they labour in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

[2] It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.

            The summary of the above Psalms is mercy.

            In Hebrews 4, before the last verse that started with, “Let us therefore…” there has been some discussions going on. The term ‘therefore’ simply means, “For that or this purpose, referring to something previously stated.” So what was being discussed? The promise of rest and our compassionate High Priest. So we obtain mercy that we might obtain the promise of rest; similar to the above Psalms. God is calling us to a state of rest and not a state of struggle. You cannot prevail by your strength, you surely need the mercy of God.

            Samson, the strongest superhuman ever recorded in Scripture, came to a point when his strength failed him. It was at the point of death he then realise that he needed the mercy of God to prevail. May we not come to that point in our life, that after struggling to succeed, you then made the mercy of God your last option. Let mercy leads.

 

PRAYER: Dear Abba Father, I ask that you forgive me for not trusting in you wholeheartedly and not allowing your mercy lead.

 

DECLARATION: IT IS NOT BY MY MIGHT NOR BY POWER THAT I PREVAIL, BUT BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD THAT SHOWS ME MERCY.

 

JOURNEY THROUGH THE PAULINE’S EPISTLE: COLOSSIANS 1-4