DAILY MANNA DEVOTIONAL

THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2018

DANGER OF SELF-WILL

TEXT: JUDGES 14:1-11

Key Verse: “Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well” (Judges 14:3)_

Not many people will like to be remembered for what they otherwise would have been, especially when there is clear evidence that they had tremendous potentials to be something else. History reserves unkind remarks for such people for their wasted, God-given gifts and privileges, though they had attained some measure of success.

Samson was intended by God to be a Nazarite and live according to God’s highest standard for His people. He grew up in Zorah and wanted to marry a Philistine woman from Timnah. This was a clear contravention of God’s commandment on mixed marriages. Although God had blessed him and given him the Spirit (Judges 13:23,25; 14:6,19), he committed fatal errors that led to his spiritual failure and eventual death. God never initiated or approved Samson’s intention to marry an unbeliever. He did so to satisfy his lust.

Unequal yoke in marriage, marriages contracted outside God’s definite commandment, had always attracted tragic consequences. God’s standard for marriage had always stood out over the ages. Children of the kingdom must never be yoked to the heathen. Light and darkness must never cohabit in marriage.

There is a vital lesson to learn from Samson’s life. It is the tragedy of self-will. His marriage was a violation of the law. That God, in His sovereign wisdom, ignored his character defects and weakness was in order to fulfil His purpose for the nation of Israel. However, no true believer should go the way of Samson by setting aside God’s commandment on the altar of self-will. Unequal yoke in marriage, business, and so on must be avoided at all cost. For our marriages to be worth the while, they must be predicated on God’s unalterable precepts. Every conjugal union must seek God’s glory and fulfil His enduring purpose.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Gains of self-will are but temporary
COVER to COVER: JOSHUA 22-24.

PONDER: People like Samson will definitely fail

Consecration: Nil
No prayer to know God's will, went to enemy's (worldly) territory for no holy purpose but to sightsee v1,2.
Godly mentorship: None.
He even rejected his parents counsel who gave birth to him by angelic visitation v4.
Wisdom: Nil.
He based a serious decision on marriage on "love at first sight." No time to check up the character of the woman, no moral quality that he could point to in the woman.v3,7.
He was satisfied with permissive will v4.
He deliberately disobey the written word v3.
He was deceived by the "love" of a friendly foe or a "lovely enemy."
He was a lone ranger without godly and good friends.
An example of charismatism without holiness.
No wonder, it was all shame and sorrow for him

HYMN: O, the bitter shame and sorrow (GHS 224)

O the bitter shame and sorrow,
That a time could ever be,
When I let the Savior’s pity
Plead in vain, and proudly answered,
“All of self, and none of Thee!
All of self, and none of Thee!”

2 Yet He found me; I beheld Him
Bleeding on th’accursed tree,
Heard Him pray, “Forgive them, Father!”
And my wistful heart said faintly,
“Some of self, and some of Thee!
Some of self, and some of Thee!”

3 Day by day His tender mercy,
Healing, helping, full and free,
Sweet and strong, and ah! so patient,
Brought me lower, while I whispered,
“Less of self, and more of Thee!
Less of self, and more of Thee!”

4 Higher than the highest heavens,
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lord, Thy love at last hath conquered;
Grant me now my supplication,—
“None of self, and all of Thee!
None of self, and all of Thee!”

PRAYER POINT:

Lord, give me wisdom and discernment not to fall into the trap of friendly foes.
Lord, I hereby consecrate to seek, surrender and settle with your perfect will in all my decisions.
Let the cross cancel all stains of self will in my life.
Lord, visit all the retreat participants to experience: None of self and all of Thee.