WordLive - Year OneSample

Prepare: Worship: ‘O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth – you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way’ (2 Chronicles 6:14).

Blessing the betrayers
What’s worse than doing something good and seeing the beneficiary attribute it to someone else, perhaps someone who cares nothing for them? I find it hard to continue blessing someone who ignores me or worse, betrays me, yet that is what God did for Israel.

God was in covenant with the people of Israel. He gave them Canaan and in return asked for faithfulness to him alone, but from the start of our readings in Judges, the people were seduced by the idolatry of the nations around them and served false gods such as Dagon.

God is supreme
It was God’s purpose to demonstrate his supremacy over both the Philistines and the people of Israel. The Philistines credit victory to Dagon, but he proves powerless when both his temple and his worshippers are destroyed by God’s servant.

Samson is humiliated beyond belief: blind, enslaved, led by the hand and made to perform for his enemies. Once more he calls to his ‘Sovereign LORD’, acknowledging God both as King over Israel and the source of his strength. In answering Samson’s prayer God demonstrates his supremacy over Dagon and exacts vengeance on the Philistines.

Respond: Are you ever tempted by the false gods of those around you? If anything comes to mind, confess it as sin. It’s never too late to call on the Lord.

http://www.wordlive.org/Session/Classic/2012-08-18