” Again the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years. 2 Now there was a certain man from Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had no children. 3 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. 4 Now therefore, please be careful not to drink wine or similar drink, and not to eat anything unclean. 5 For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”” Judges 13:1-5 NKJV
Father God,
Samson is one of the best-known Judges. But perhaps for all the wrong reasons. He does not practice good leadership, he shows no respect for family, the vows made at his birth, God’s calling, any of the women he met, or his friends. He shows no compassion or interest in anyone else. As a judge, Samson never cared for the common good or the welfare and spiritual life of his nation. He does not really acknowledge his power is from You God. His prayers were selfish; even at the end, he asks for Your help God primarily to get revenge.
Yet You gave Him the power to deliver Israel from the power of the Philistines. You kept Your promise even though Samson had no intention of developing a godly character. He kills 3000 men after his wife tricks him into telling her the answer to the sweetness in strength riddle. Delilah a harlot we are told, is hired to find the source of hs strength. He enjoys the game till his vanity gets the better of him and he tells her. Yet we read he judged Israel for 20 years (Judges 15:20) and the writer to the Hebrews names him among the faithful in Hebrews 11:32-33. We do not always see what You see.
We learn about potential not realised, relationships not wholesome and yet Your faithfulness in all situations. Help us to look and find You in all our situations, even in our mess of a world. When we don’t understand, that You are still working out Your purposes, in spite of man’s character.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Friday 20th March 2026
God is working this purpose out,
as year succeeds to year;
God is working this purpose out,
and the time is drawing near;
nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be:
when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea. (Habakkuk 2:14)
From utmost east to utmost west,
where human feet have trod,
by the mouth of many messengers
goes forth the voice of God:
“Give ear to me, ye continents,
ye isles, give ear to me,
that the earth may be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.”
Omitted Verse
Let us go forth in the strength of God,
with the banner of Christ unfurled,
that the light of the glorious gospel of truth
may shine throughout the world.
Let us all fight with sorrow and sin
to set the captives free,
that the earth may be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.
All we can do is nothing worth
unless God blesses the deed.
Vainly we hope for the harvest-tide
till God gives life to the seed.
Yet nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.
Lyrics: Arthur Campbell Ainger