Daily Devotional for Monday, October 31

Samson’s Parents

There are cultures in the world where who you become in life is determined by your birth lineage. What we might call the class system is alive and well in many places. In many cultures, one born into a certain social class will be forever stuck in that social class. No matter the skill, intelligence or fortune of that person, they will never rise higher than their birthright allows them to rise. As a result, many with great potential never realize that potential, and many with zero potential end up in places of power and authority. 

Sometimes, in our own culture, we presume on our heritage, as if that somehow makes us right in the eyes of God. How many think they are right with God because, “I was raised in church, and my daddy was a deacon” and so forth? Sadly, there are many. 

Samson illustrates this point well. He was chosen by God for a special purpose and raised by godly, serving parents. Yet, as we know, Samson spent most of his life giving in to his base desires and behaving in very ungodly ways. Everything was laid in place for Samson to live a life full of service and honoring God, but he still squandered it away on doing things his way for his pleasure. How does this happen? 

The answer is this: we have choices. Even though God is in absolute control of every event in the universe, in ways we do not understand He grants us free choices in this life. Even as saved believers, God never forces us to obey and live for Him because in the end we choose how we live. We also have the choice whether to believe or not in the first place. What will we choose?

JUST A THOUGHT: God does not want robots; He wants loving and willing servants.

Wally Fry