“Delilah lulled Samson to sleep with his head in her lap, and then she called in a man to shave off…his hair. In this way, she began to bring him down, and his strength left him...
When he woke up, he thought, ‘I will do as before and shake myself free.’
But he didn’t realize the Lord had left him.”
Judges 16:19-20
Samson was dedicated to God from birth, and even as a young man, the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him. (13:25) In fact, on many occasions the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him and enabled him to defeat the Philistines.
So, what caused a man to go from having the Spirit of the Lord powerfully on him to lying in Delilah’s lap, not even realizing the Lord had left him? Perhaps it was his focus: When Samson wanted to marry a Philistine woman, he told his father, "Get her for me! She looks good to me.” When the Spirit of the Lord powerfully helped him slay a thousand Philistines, Samson boasted and then pitied himself because he felt thirsty. And when anyone wronged him, Samson became furious.
Because Samson lived for what made HIM feel good, it was easy to be lulled to sleep in a woman’s lap…and wake up powerless. Selfishness does that…it numbs me to needs of OTHERS and blinds me to the awesomeness of GOD. When all I can see is ME, then I proudly assume that I can do anything. But I better watch out…I could wake up without Power!
Father, help me focus on YOU instead of ME, so I will never be lulled to sleep!
