Friday - Judges 16 - A Strange Mixture

Samson went into Gaza and picked up a hooker, yet directly after committing fornication, he arose in the power of the Spirit with supernatural strength and escaped from his enemies by carrying off the gates of the city. He had been surrounded by them while he was busy fulfilling his fleshly lusts. But, no denying it, God blessed him anyway and empowered him with enough strength to escape with his life.

Why has God recorded so many accounts of moral and spiritual contrasts like this for us? Perhaps it is to emphasize the greatness of his tremendous grace. The first promise of redemption came to Adam and Eve as they stood there half naked in their fig leaf aprons.  Psalm 51 was inspired by God through the pen of David right after he had been caught for adultery and murder. Peter preached and saw 1000s saved only a few short weeks after his cowardly denial and faithless departure from his calling.  Paul went on a successful missionary journey right on the heels of his fuss with Barnabas. We shouldn't presume that we can sin without consequences, but we can assume that God's grace is great enough to cover even our greatest sins, if we will simply allow our rebellion to give way to faith.  Samson's womanizing was about to cost him his eyes and his power though. Delilah was her name; treachery was her game.  She would bring him down, for a while anyway.