When you think of Samson, what comes to mind? To be clear, I am referring to Samson, from the book of Judges, who had incredible strength.
After he was born, no razor was to touch his head. His strength would be tied to that vow. If he did not cut his hair, he would remain strong and be used by God to deliver Israel from the Philistines.
And Samson did mighty things (he also did some very unwise unmighty things as well.). But the promise of God remained true. Samson was beyond strong.
He killed a lion with his bare hands. By himself, he defeated 1,000 Philistines in battle. He even lifted and removed the city gate of Gaza.
He carried these gates on his shoulders. In Scripture, the weight of these gates is not provided but experts who know archaeology have a range of what they would weigh. That range is between 1,000 and 8,000 pounds.
So, when I ask you to close your eyes and think of Samson, what kind of image comes to mind? Arnold Schwarzenegger? Incredible Hulk? Adre “anybody want a peanut” the Giant?
The Bible does not tell us, but I have an idea. I don’t think he was big at all. I think he looked like a regular man. If pressed, I might even go the other way and think he looked more like a squirrely and skinny little man like Barny Fife.
His enemies could not figure out from where he got his strength. If he looked like Hulk Hogan, it is possible they would not wander. They could look and say, “Well, he is a big strong man.”
His strength came from God. Which is the strength of us all. It is all I have.
God has used weak, frail and small men and women all throughout time. It is how little boy David could defeat the 9-foot-tall Goliath.
He does the same today. “We have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7
The treasure to which Paul refers is Jesus.
You and I are weak without our Lord. When it comes to Spiritual matters, we are unable even to carry a five-gallon bucket of fertilizer. The surpassing power belongs to God and this God will do great things in small, weak, squirrely men and women. This is glorious!
S.D.G.