ODJ: never too late
March 2, 2011
Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me again. O God, please strengthen me just one more time” (v.28).
READ: Judges 16:23-30
In the popular TV series LOST, a character named Sayid Jarrah was an airplane crash survivor and castaway on a mysterious tropical island. As a former military interrogator, he was haunted by those he tortured and spent much of his adult life trying to atone for his past mistakes.
At the start of LOST’s final season, Sayid died from a gunshot wound. He was resuscitated, however, by an evil character (the unnamed man in black) and recruited to the dark side. But just when viewers were convinced that he had given himself completely over to evil, he sacrificed his life to save his fellow crash survivors.
That shocking twist (something LOST fans were accustomed to seeing) takes me back to the Old Testament character Samson. Remember him? The long-haired Nazirite, endowed by God’s Spirit with super-human strength to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines? (Judges 13:5). Unfortunately, Samson became full of himself and fell prey to manipulation by the woman he loved (16:4). Eventually, Delilah coaxed him into divulging the secret of his strength, which she then used to betray him into the hands of his enemies (vv.5-21).
Samson’s foolish pride left him blind, weak, and in shackles. Publicly disgraced and chained between two massive pillars supporting the roof of a crowded Philistine temple, Samson humbled himself and asked God for one last feat of super-human strength. God granted Samson’s request. And with one mighty push, Samson brought down the temple, destroying more enemies in his death than he did while he was alive (Judges 16:23-30).
Samson’s life shows it’s never too late to come back to God and do something great for Him. Even after we make huge mistakes, our lives can still be redeemed for His purposes. —Jeff Olson
In what ways do you need to come back to God? What makes it possible for you to return to Him?
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