Week 42: Judges 13:7: Strength

A devotional thought composed originally for Swift Current TSA Devotional Book, June 2015. Presented to the Meighan Retirement Residence by Sarah-Grace Ramsay, 20 January 2016. 

Read Judges 13:1-7

Covenants are important to the Lord. I am reminded of Samson. Samson was bound by a covenant without an expiry date (Jdgs 13:7) that he did not even willingly enter into (Jdgs 13, Cf. 1 Sam 1, Lk 1, Lev 27.28-29) and he struggled to keep. Samson was not to drink nor was he to defile himself. Samson was however a liar at times (Jdgs 16:7ff) and a killer (Jdgs 14:19). He visited prostitutes (Judges 16:1). He put himself and others ahead of God at times (Jdgs 14:17). Samson disobeyed his vows. Samson transgressed his covenant with God. The Lord did not forsake him though (Jdgs 16:22, Rom 3:3,4).

At times Samson did follow the Lord’s direction. At times he experienced the blessings that accompanied his covenant. At times Samson drew on the strength of the Lord and was used greatly by God to accomplish His purposes. At other times Samson sinned.

Every time Samson turned to and drew on the strength of the Lord, the Lord delivered him. No matter what Samson did, the Lord did not leave him. He still reaped the benefits of his covenant with the Lord until one very significant day.

I am sure it was a surprise to Samson who had repeatedly lied, visited prostitutes, sinned, and transgressed his covenant, that one day after his covenant had been violated; the Lord’s strength was not available to him (Judges 16:20). Samson disobeyed his covenant and finally – after being given many chances – the Lord allowed him to experience the natural consequences of this. Samson was blinded, bound, and imprisoned (Judges 16:21).

The story, as we know, does not end here though. This is significant. Samson did not fulfil his vow. Samson sinned. Samson disregarded his covenant. Because he did this, he suffered natural consequences but the Lord did not release him from his covenant (cf. Jdgs 16:22).

God is faithful even when we are faithless. God did not forsake Samson. When Samson repented, when Samson turned to the Lord and drew on the strength of the Lord that was provided through his covenant, the Lord used Samson to save his people and Samson is now forever remembered as a hero of the faith (Heb 11).

This is important for any of us who have made a covenant without an expiry date - be it for work or marriage or some other purpose. We, like Samson, are bound to God through a covenant until death (Rom 7:2,3). As such if we do not live up to our covenant, like Samson, we will find that we are not as effective as we could be and we will find that we will suffer the natural and logical consequences.

However, no matter what we have done, no matter how far we have strayed, no matter how may times we have fallen short of our covenantal promises, while we are still alive there is the opportunity to turn (repent) to the Lord, draw on our covenant and His strength.

This is one of the many benefits of covenant. We are bound to God until we die. As this is the case, rather than suffering the natural consequences of struggling against our vows, let us defend them with zeal and continue to draw on the strength of the Lord because as we do, I am sure that we, like Samson, will see many people saved.

Those of us who have entered into covenants with the Lord be they for work, church, or family; how has God proven His faithfulness even when we were faithless and how, when you were faithful, have you drawn on His covenantal strength in your time of need?

www.sheepspeak.com 

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[1] Based on the article by Captain Michael Ramsay, Covenant: The Example of Samson.  THE OFFICER (March/April 2009) On-line: http://sheepspeak.com/RamsayonCovenantSamson.pdf 

Week 40: Exodus 2:24: Tied

A devotional thought composed originally for Swift Current TSA Devotional Book, June 2015.

Read Exodus 2:23-25

The three-legged race is always fun to watch at. Perhaps you have noticed that some seem to run it with ease while others trip over each other. I have seen dads tied to their kids who simply pick them up and run without breaking the tie. It is a lot of fun but you'll notice that the team that wins moves in sync with each other so that with every stride they are matching their partner. When you have two independently minded people, however, you see two people going nowhere other than to a pile-up on the ground.

This is not unlike covenants: the origins of the most common OT word for covenant, Berit[h], refers to being bound, tied, or shackled together, not unlike the three-legged race.

We in the Salvation Army are a covenanted people. Our covenants are important to us. They can certainly be one of our organisational strengths. General Clifton wrote that our covenants are one of the main ways in which the Lord chooses to provide opportunities for us to join him in the work for the salvation of the world. It is a sacred covenant through which the Lord binds Himself to us.

Salvation Army soldiers pledge to uphold our doctrine and, among other things, abstain from all that can enslave the mind and body. Officers covenant to make soul-winning the primary focus of our lives. The Lord binds Himself to us in these covenants. As Christians we are all yoked together with Christ. Commissioner William Francis wrote that 'the key to upholding our sacred covenant is staying close to God, keeping faith with him.' This is significant and this relates very closely to the three-legged race.

Any of us who have ever been in a three-legged race will remember the challenges that this can hold when one tries to move at a different pace than another and I am sure I am not the only person who has fallen on the ground laughing as my partner and I stopped moving in unison: it is difficult to move, let alone win the race, when the one you are yoked together with is going in the other direction.

It is the same with our covenants. If we tie ourselves to YHWH in a sacred vow and do not follow Him, it is difficult to finish, let alone win the race and experience the victory with Christ. On the other hand, as we walk in step with each other; when, while bound, we put are arm around our partner and run together; when children lean on their parents and rely on their strength in the race, the race is easy and the child often moves even faster than if she were running on her own. As we remain faithful to our covenants and allow our Heavenly Father to put His arm around us we will find that through our covenants it is even easier to walk in step with our Lord. At times, often when things are most challenging as well, when look to Christ, indeed we will find that He is carrying us towards the finish line where we will celebrate that anticipated victory in Jesus.

This is what our covenants are like with the Lord. As we bind ourselves to Him with covenantal ties that won't be broken and as we continue to follow in proper covenants, the Lord's yoke is easy! And really, is there anything in life that we can accomplish on our own that isn't accomplished much more easily and effectively, when we were tied to the LORD?

www.sheepspeak.com 

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[1] Based on the article by Captain Michael Ramsay, Covenant: a Three Legged Race.  THE OFFICER (September/October 2008) On-line: http://renewnetwork.blogspot.ca/2008_07_01_archive.html#1640474474468394257