Friday, February 8, 2013

Flawed Characters (Featured Devotion)


Day 17

Friday

Flawed Characters

Judges 13:25; 14:6, 19; 15:14

The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon Samson…

Beginning Bible readers are often struck by the people God chose to serve Him in various endeavors.  To put it plainly, they seem so… Well, normal!  So imperfect!  There are exceptions, but most of them were ordinary people through whom the Holy Spirit worked in spite of weakness and imperfection.

Samson was a man used greatly by God---but he was also a deeply flawed character.  He was vain, impetuous, deceitful, and a bit spoiled, humanly speaking.  But he was also a lifelong Nazirite, set apart by his parents (at God’s command) for God’s service.   The Holy Spirit came upon Samson powerfully in his role as a judge in Israel, his challenge being to defeat the Philistines that tormented Israel.  Samson’s successes and failures raise the question, why does God use flawed people to accomplish His Purpose?  The first reason is that He only has flawed people to work with?  But second, when God accomplished great things through imperfect people, it is clear who gets the glory.

Whatever your imperfections, God’s purposes are made all the more glorious through you as you trust in Him.

Recommended Reading: Nehemiah 13:25-26, Judges 3:1-5

Quote

All God’s giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on God being with them.

J. Hudson Taylor

From: “Turning Points” Magazine and Devotional
Turning Points

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