The final verse in the book of Judges states: “In those days, there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (21:25) It was a chaotic time. “Judges” weren’t what we experience in a courtroom but were military action figures. Samson, like Rahab, was quite a character. Someone said, “Samson was a he-man with a she-weakness.” If we play with fire, we may get burned. Samson had wandered so far away he didn’t realize the shift. We see again the little word, “but,” as it introduces a new reality. “But he did not know that the Lord had left him.” Actually, Samson left the Lord. What we sow, we reap. After Delilah deceived him and he fell and experienced the consequences, Samson’s heart turned back to the Lord. Once again, we spot this transition in the verse with the word, “But the hair of his head began to grow again…” There are times when we come to our senses and turn back to the Lord. That’s what happened to the prodigal son: “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!’” His older brother also had a “but” in the opposite direction: “But he was angry and refused to go in.” (Luke 15:17, 28) This is a story about repentance. When we’ve left the Lord, we can turn back to Him and get our hearts right. The Lord will graciously receive us and welcome us home.

- Pastor Tom Harrison