Blatant Disobedience

Judges 14:4

4But his father and mother did not know that it was of the Lord-that He was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines.

Many know the story of Samson and Delilah and how she tricked him. Samson allowed his lust for women to get him into trouble. But Delilah wasn't Samson's first run in with disobedience. Samson had a special call on his life before he even appeared in his mother's womb. The angel of the Lord was very specific in telling Samson's soon to be parents what Samson was to do and not do. His parents were very careful to raise him in that way. But free will is the gift God gives each man and woman that they may suffer or be blessed from their own actions. Before Delilah plotted against him there was the woman of Timnah who also was of Philistine lineage. Samson was a Nazirite to God so he definitely was not to take a pagan wife. Jews were not to take pagan spouses anyway as they were considered to be unclean. Even followers of Christ are not to be unequally yoked in a marriage with an unbeliever or one who chooses not to be Christ like but again..free will. God knew Samson was going to be disobedient and go after a Philistine woman anyway so God planned it that the opportunity would be used for His glory. What made Samson move on the Philistines instead of wanting to continue to unite with them, they used his wife to trick him and then her father gave her to another man while he was away. So God really did work it out for His own good but Samson didn't get the lesson. Therefore his second brush with an unclean woman who also was confronted to trick him cost him his freedom. God's will prevailed even in Samson's blatant disobedience. Samson was called to defeat the Philistines and so it was done even in his death.

God knows when you are blatantly disobedient. He knows your thoughts better than you do. But whatever call He has for you surely He will not revoke and His will shall be done even while you suffer through the consequences of your choices. Those consequences will still be used for God to get the glory. Blatant disobedience in taking of the wrong woman was a lesson Samson decided not to learn the first time around. He in his arrogance did not think a woman could trick him. How many men and women fall prey to this? How many suffer through consequences multiple times like Samson before they are ready to do God's will? How many exhibit blatant disobedience before understanding that what your eyes gazed upon was not what God had for you? I had this lesson and it wasn't pretty. I pray you learn it swiftly.

P.S. Remember to RSVP for the November 10th Book Signing Event at Barnes & Noble in White Marsh (Baltimore, MD)