Jesus, I'll be Your Jawbone

I’d like to be like Samson. I hope I fail less spectacularly. And I’d really like tokeep both my eyes. By God’s grace I’d like to be less selfish. However, Samsonis one of many biblical characters who pictures our feeble faith. God’s word tellsme to follow good examples who follow Christ (1 Cor. 11:1). In so many ways,Samson is everything Jesus is not. Samson was self-important, Jesus is humble.Samson was self-indulgent, Jesus is selfless. Samson was blind, Jesus is the lightof the world. So why would I want to be like Samson?Before the Philistines blind him, Samson is blind to the true source of his strength.He lived for himself, turning the eyes of his fellow Israelites to his own powerinstead of turning their eyes to the one who has all power. The root of Samson’ssin was pride. He believed that his strength was his own. How many times haveI taken credit for the work God performed in me? How many times have I said,“I will go out as at other times and shake myself free” (Judg. 16:20) because Iconsidered my ability my own. Father, forgive me.After he’s humbled and blinded and captured, then he starts to see. At the endof his life, Samson is used by God to defeat the enemies of Israel. He dies becausehe gives himself up for the sake of God’s people, destroying the leaders of God’senemies. Now I’m seeing Jesus. On the cross Christ gave himself up to defeatsin and death, leaving Satan’s house in ruins. Principalities and authorities werecrushed by his self-sacrifice.I want to be like Samson because God’s grace flowed through him. It sure seemslike Samson was a broken instrument. But God redeems, restores, andrepurposes broken instruments like Samson. God doesn’t need perfecttools. He uses the weak and foolish things of the world so that his glory shinesbrightly (1 Cor. 1:27, 12:9). Just like Samson could dispatch the Philistineswith a jaw-bone, God could defeat the Philistines with Samson. God’s graceflowed through this flawed man. That’s how I want to be like Samson.By God’s grace I’d like to ask over and over for God’s grace “once more” to doHis work for the benefit of His children. Unlike Samson, I’d like God’s grace towork in me so that I see all my toil is through God’s energy which he powerfullywork within me (Col 1:29), and not claim it as my own. The power which Godprovides was bought by Jesus at the cross when he died instead of me. Heforgave my selfishness, which looks a lot like Samson’s, and furnished me withpower to perform his purpose. All glory be to Christ!