Strength Restored

Judges 16:22 ~ "But the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved."

Have you come to the end of your vitality of spirit because you have surrendered to some wicked sin and rebellion? Have you stumbled in the way of righteousness and your strength has failed in your walk with Christ? I have often said of our text today that it is one of the most encouraging passages of Scripture found in the whole of God's word. If you need it, let it encourage you today.

To understand fully the story of Samson, you will need to read Judges chapters 13 through 16. We won't cover the entirety of his life in this brief moment, but let us come to understand some valuable moments that led up to our text for today. First, Samson was set apart by God to be a Nazarite from birth. Judges 13:5 says, "For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines." In this Nazarite condition, it was required that he never cut his hair as an outward sign of his inward devotion to the LORD. That devotion began with Samson's parents, as his mother did not eat or drink anything that would defile the child, and then it continued into his adulthood as he never let a razor touch his head.

Until, that is, when Delilah entered the scene. Up to this encounter, though Samson had sinned against the LORD in other areas, yet his strength had not failed. The LORD was faithful to Samson despite the man's insolent ways, for as yet, Samson had not shaved his head. Was there still a shred of devotion for the LORD in his heart? There is a telling statement which arises concerning the man's affections: "After this he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah" (Judges 16:4). He loved Delilah; now his heart was divided. And, after many efforts on her part to wheedle out of the young man the secret of his great strength, Samson gave in to his affection for Delilah and failed in his devotion to the LORD.

And how many have found that they have given in to some affection they have in this world, but in so doing you have left off your devotion to Christ? Our devotion to Christ is often tested in the affections we have in our lives. Jesus our LORD warned us in Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." Temptations come to us, and are found not in the things we despise but in those things in which we took delight. As Samson had loved Delilah, so it was through Delilah that he eventually succumbed to the pressure to give in to her demands. Three times already she had questioned him and proved to be a trickster. However, her demand that he prove his love for her overrode his devotion to the LORD. His hair was shaved... his strength was gone... he was now a prisoner to the enemy.

And yet... look back to the text for today. Samson had failed in his devotion to the LORD, but the LORD had not forgotten him. In such a simple statement, we read a powerful promise of restoration. And so I ask a simple question: can one be restored who has given in to the temptations of the world and failed in their devotion to Christ? Will God restore such a one as Samson? And have you been--or are you even now--one who has failed like him? 

My dear friends, our God in Heaven is rich with mercy. And though our sins deserve the greatest of punishments, and we find ourselves taken captive by the very enemy we fought against, yet our Savior can cause our hair to grow again. He is the one who can restore the fallen and give them again the spiritual strength needed to rise up and do what God requires. Look through the history of even the greatest men in the Bible you will discover that many of them suffered a failure of devotion to the LORD. And though their failure cost them, even as it cost Samson his eyes, yet in their repentance, they discovered the tremendous grace of our Loving LORD to restore them that they might serve God once again. Consider Jeremiah 15:19, "If you return [repent], I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them."

Let us, beloved, look to the LORD. If you have given in to any affections contrary to your devotion to Christ, look to Him and humble yourself. Seek His mercy and grace, and repent. He will restore your strength that you might walk again in the power of His Spirit and faithfulness to His word.

In His Grace,
​Pastor Michael

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