Storms of Choice

The truth is

Storms happen, storms of life happen on a regular basis. Metorologists use loads of science to predict storms. (science fair story) It takes a lot of work a lot of study and even with all the advances that we make the thing about storms is we don’t really know just how bad a storm will be until it is here. Still there are signs that a storm is coming.

In the next few weeks we are going to be looking at different types of storms that happen in the lives of humanity, and how to prepare for them and how to rebuild when they wreck havock

Storms of choice

Storms of circumstance

Take Shelter

Starting Fresh

Today we are going to be talking about storms of choice.

What is a storm of choice?

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Which basically means what we do has a consequence. The choices we make on a daily basis will have a consequence in the future. It’s inevitable. What I do matters. It’s easier sometimes when I am in the middle of a storm of choice to shift the blame. But the bottom line we all have free will we all make choices.

Judges 13:1–5 HCSB

The Israelites again did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord handed them over to the Philistines 40 years. There was a certain man from Zorah, from the family of Dan, whose name was Manoah; his wife was unable to conceive and had no children. The Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “It is true that you are unable to conceive and have no children, but you will conceive and give birth to a son. Now please be careful not to drink wine or beer, or to eat anything unclean; for indeed, you will conceive and give birth to a son. You must never cut his hair, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from birth, and he will begin to save Israel from the power of the Philistines.”

The Israelites chose storm after storm in the book of judges. Notice it says AGAIN did what was evil. So God would send or raise up judges to rescue them when they finally began to wake up. Samson was a man who chose storms in his life, and the consequences were great. The traditional Nazarite vow consisted of three thing.

Don’t drink wine, or beer.

Don’t cut your hair.

Don’t touch dead things.

Simple really and yet as we look at Samson’s life we find him running into the storms on a regular basis.

Flirting with disaster.

Judges 14:5–9 HCSB

Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Suddenly a young lion came roaring at him, the Spirit of the Lord took control of him, and he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done. Then he went and spoke to the woman, because Samson wanted her. After some time, when he returned to get her, he left the road to see the lion’s carcass, and there was a swarm of bees with honey in the carcass. He scooped some honey into his hands and ate it as he went along. When he returned to his father and mother, he gave some to them and they ate it. But he did not tell them that he had scooped the honey from the lion’s carcass.

Small choices to do the wrong thing don’t always end in disaster, but they condition us to think that we are immune.

The Subtle Slide

Judges 16:6–7 HCSB

So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me, where does your great strength come from? How could someone tie you up and make you helpless?” Samson told her, “If they tie me up with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, I will become weak and be like any other man.”

Judges 16:10–11 HCSB

Then Delilah said to Samson, “You have mocked me and told me lies! Won’t you please tell me how you can be tied up?” He told her, “If they tie me up with new ropes that have never been used, I will become weak and be like any other man.”

Judges 16:1-=1

Judges 16:13–14 HCSB

Then Delilah said to Samson, “You have mocked me all along and told me lies! Tell me how you can be tied up.” He told her, “If you weave the seven braids on my head with the web of a loom—” She fastened the braids with a pin and called to him, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” He awoke from his sleep and pulled out the pin, with the loom and the web.

Notice what has happened. Aside from the fact that Samson has to be as dumb as a rock at this point. I mean lets face it every time she asks him how to make him weak and he tells her she does what he says. He is getting closer to the truth. He has now told her about his hair.

Judges 16:19–20 HCSB

Then she let him fall asleep on her lap and called a man to shave off the seven braids on his head. In this way, she made him helpless, and his strength left him. Then she cried, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” When he awoke from his sleep, he said, “I will escape as I did before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him.

Surprised by the storm

I think the most tragic thing to happen in all of the story of Sampson’s life can be summed up in this statement

But he did not know that the Lord had left him.

Too many times, when we are choosing to ignore the obvious signs that there are storms coming, especially if we keep going down the path we are taking, we end up being surprised. We are caught off guard not because we couldn't have seen it coming but because we stopped looking.

Twisted logic

Samson had a twisted sense of logic. He thought that his strength came from his hair. That was not the case. There was nothing magical about Samson’s hair. Samson’s hair was a visual reminder that he was set apart to God, it was Samson’s obedience to God and the blessing of the Spirit of God that was the source of Samson’s strength. The cutting of his hair was was just the final admission that Samson had turned from what he knew, to what he wanted.

Never getting it

Samson never got it. He never understood his true purpose. He never embraced all that God wanted him to do. He chose to run into storm after storm, and yes God used him but I wonder what would have been had Samson embraced fully the Call God had placed on his life.

Even in the end it was not about God but about Samson, and that is the problem with running constantly into storm after storm, that is the problem with choosing over and over to go against what we know is right. We become self centered and only think about what we want. We know this about Sampson because even in the end he still didn’t get it, there is no repentance in Sampson’s life there is only revenge. A theme that runs throughout all he does.

Judges 16:28 HCSB

He called out to the Lord: “Lord God, please remember me. Strengthen me, God, just once more. With one act of vengeance, let me pay back the Philistines for my two eyes.”

This Week’s Challenge

Ask yourself, am I running into the storms that are pulling me further and further away from the relationship that I could have and should have with God? If the answer is yes take time to actively think about what you are doing. Decide what you’re willing to lose if you continue to head down that path.