(Paul Lowry, Flickr, 2008)

I have always been intrigued  by the story of  Samson and Delilah. I guess, its the whole, Samson could tear a young lion with his bare hands and all. Samson’s was strong, no doubt about it. God made him that way for His purpose.  God used Samson and His strength for his Glory. Samson even married, then that had a tragic ending. If you want to know story you can find it in Judges 15.

In Judges 16, we meet Delilah the prostitute. She is no Rahab, who was a Godly woman and hid spies for the Lord. Nope, this prostitute, helped take the mighty Samson down. The rulers of the Philistines wanted to know what made him so powerful, so she asked him. At first he gave her three lies, but with some nagging, Samson, broke down and told her. You see, Samson loved Delilah, Delilah, did not  love Samson. I am not sure who she loved, if it was the money she was given or herself.  In the end, I guess doesn’t really matter.

I love the Bad Girls of the Bible Book by Liz Curits Higgs. She calls “Delilah: Bad to the Bone”. Which in the book, she notes when the “Bad girls of the bible” are redeemed by God, such a Rahab or The woman at the well. You see, Delilah, was not one of those women. I loved this book, because at one time, I was a quote on quote “Bad girl”. In some people’s eyes, I did things that were not the greatest, but those were “mistakes”. I did hurt my parents and some others along the way, but being so selfish, I couldn’t see past my own pain and hurt. You see, I was no better than any of the bad girls of the bible. I may not have been like Delilah and sold my lover out for money, but did my fair share of hurting others. Which in God’s eyes, is still the same.

(Brett Jordan, 2009, Flickr)

Unless you are completely honest with yourself, we all have some things that God has had to deal with us on. Whether it be sin that was caused in our youth or now. There are things that I have been washed, cleansed and set free from. My relationship with the Lord, (key word relationship) is stronger than ever.

On an encouraging note, Rahab would become the mother of Boaz, who would than marry Ruth in the bible. If you look through the genealogy of Jesus, you would know that Rahab is in that genealogy. You see, a former bad girl, who was redeemed, and is now famous for being in the line of ancestors to the King of Kings.  How Great is our God!

References:

Higgs-Currtis, L. (1999). Bad girls of the bible. Waterbrook press: Colorado Springs.

Jordan, Brett. (2009). Bible time. Retrieved on: 25 June 2013, http://www.flickr.com/photos/55497864@N00/3518042098/in/photolist-6mSTmf-6nnAdc-6ooBaL-6sngRm-6u8h76-6wWs1s-6AfZUp-6Dw3WX-6FhHRi-6PzzKH-6U5ynd-a8F5yN-a8F6VN-a8F7Ns-a8CdZV-dACDGa-9emuTE-8xe84h-7A9ak8-7ySrEt-c89VKo-cTvpGS-7yWdBU-9h2jYG-dBwxsg-a9pgKx-c89Rum-c89RLU-95Chit-95Chie-c89PaA-cqX2Xy-9Rvu3z-9Ryouq-9Rvtwi-9RvuWD-9Ryoco-7Q2EEA-9wxRCM-9wAQGW-9wxRD2-dzFwDY-c89QqA-7Vj1Yg-7VsnHd-9h9n6y-c89Vqf-c2w1Z5-c2w27w-aJfHPD-7Vson9

Lowry, Paul. (2008) Deliah cutting the hair of samson. Retrieved on: 25 June 2013, http://www.flickr.com/photos/10039026@N03/2591008341/in/photolist-4WXAvB-53RYV9-5emWRU-5fnQUi-5fnR4D-5fnRL2-5fnS66-5fnSAa-5fnSG8-5fnSM2-5fnSTv-5fo9mx-5fscZs-5fsdv7-5fse63-5fseg5-5fsenC-5fseuY-5fseHm-5fseQm-5fsfhN-5fsq11-5hC9Yv-5hCaBV-5hCaVT-5hCb1P-5hCb9p-5hGw7s-5hGweN-5hGwns-5hGwwh-5hGwEq-5hGwWb-5q4878-5qHSSx-5qHSVT-5qHTer-5qHTjR-5qHToD-5qHTtH-5qHTya-5qHTCM-5qHTGT-5qNdps-5qNdtL-5qNdyd-5qNdLJ-5qNdRG-5qNdWW-5qNeuJ-5D95TX.