Judges 16:21-31: a reflection

21The Philistines laid hold on him and put out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza and bound him with fetters of bronze; and he ground at the mill in the prison. 22However, the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaved. 23The lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice; for they said, “Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.” 24When the people saw him, they praised their god; for they said, “Our god has delivered our enemy and the destroyer of our country, who has slain many of us, into our hand.” 25When their hearts were merry, they said, “Call for Samson, that he may entertain us.” They called for Samson out of the prison; and he performed before them. They set him between the pillars; 26and Samson said to the boy who held him by the hand, “Allow me to feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean on them.” 27Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were on the roof about three thousand men and women, who saw while Samson performed. 28Samson called to the LORD, and said, “Lord GOD, remember me, please, and strengthen me, please, only this once, God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.” 29Samson took hold of the two middle pillars on which the house rested and leaned on them, the one with his right hand and the other with his left. 30Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” He bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell on the lords, and on all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than those who he killed in his life. 31Then his brothers and all the house of his father came down and took him, and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the burial site of Manoah his father. He judged Israel twenty years.

This is the end of Samson's story, and it is a mixture of failure and grace. His strength gone, betrayed and captured, Samson is blinded and set to grinding grain in a Philistine prison, a picture of a gifted life brought low by its own folly. But in that low place, something changes: his hair, the sign of his consecration to God, begins to grow again. And when he is brought out to be mocked, Samson turns back to God in prayer: Lord GOD, remember me, and strengthen me, please, only this once. And God hears him.

Notice that Samson, after all his failures, turns back to God in prayer, and that God hears him. Samson had wasted his gifts, broken his vows, brought himself to ruin; he had every reason to think God was finished with him. Yet from the depths of his failure and disgrace, he cries out to God, and God, in mercy, answers him and gives him strength once more. God did not abandon his failed servant when he turned back and prayed.

That is a word of hope for anyone who has failed badly and brought themselves low. You may feel, like Samson, that you have wasted your gifts, broken faith, ruined things by your own folly, and that God must be finished with you. But Samson's story shows that it is never too late to turn back to God, who hears even a failed and ruined servant who cries out to him. Do not conclude that your failures have put you beyond God's hearing. From whatever low place your own folly has brought you, turn back to God in prayer, as Samson did. The God who heard him from the prison hears you too; it is never too late to cry out to him, and he is merciful to those who turn back.

Lord, at the end of his story, Samson, blinded and imprisoned by his own folly, his gifts wasted and his vows broken, turned back to you in prayer, and you heard him and gave him strength once more. Thank you for that word of hope. I may feel, like Samson, that I have wasted my gifts, broken faith, ruined things by my own folly, and that you must be finished with me. But his story shows that it is never too late to turn back to you, who hear even a failed and ruined servant who cries out. Keep me from concluding that my failures have put me beyond your hearing. From whatever low place my own folly has brought me, help me turn back to you in prayer, as Samson did. The God who heard him from the prison hears me too; it is never too late to cry out to you, and you are merciful to those who turn back. Hear me, Lord, and receive me back.