Judges 15:11-20: a reflection

11Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cave in Etam’s rock, and said to Samson, “Don’t you know that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that you have done to us?” He said to them, “As they did to me, so I have done to them.” 12They said to him, “We have come down to bind you, that we may deliver you into the hand of the Philistines.” Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you will not attack me yourselves.” 13They spoke to him, saying, “No, but we will bind you securely and deliver you into their hands; but surely we will not kill you.” They bound him with two new ropes, and brought him up from the rock. 14When he came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him. Then the LORD’s Spirit came mightily on him, and the ropes that were on his arms became as flax that was burned with fire; and his bands dropped from off his hands. 15He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, put out his hand, took it, and struck a thousand men with it. 16Samson said, “With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps on heaps; with the jawbone of a donkey I have struck a thousand men.” 17When he had finished speaking, he threw the jawbone out of his hand; and that place was called Ramath Lehi. 18He was very thirsty, and called on the LORD and said, “You have given this great deliverance by the hand of your servant; and now shall I die of thirst, and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?” 19But God split the hollow place that is in Lehi, and water came out of it. When he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived. Therefore its name was called En Hakkore, which is in Lehi, to this day. 20He judged Israel twenty years in the days of the Philistines.

After Samson wins a great victory over the Philistines, striking down a thousand of them, he finds himself in a sudden and desperate need: he is dying of thirst. Having just been used by God to win a mighty deliverance, he is now near death from a simple, human need for water. And he cries out to God: You have given this great deliverance; shall I now die of thirst? And God, hearing him, provides water. Even after the great victory, Samson had a real need, and God met it.

Notice that even after being used by God for a great victory, Samson had a real, pressing need, and God provided for it. The great deliverance was won; but Samson was thirsty, near death, in ordinary human need. And God did not say, I have already used you for great things; deal with your small needs yourself. He heard Samson's cry, and provided water. God's care for Samson did not end with the great victory; it extended to his ordinary, ongoing needs, even after the great moment had passed.

That is a comfort, for we can feel that after God has used us for something significant, our ordinary ongoing needs are somehow beneath his notice, or that we should manage them ourselves. But God met Samson's thirst even after the great deliverance; his care extends to our ordinary, ongoing needs, not just the great moments. When you have a pressing, ordinary need, even after God has used you or blessed you greatly, do not think it beneath his notice or that you must manage it alone; God cared for Samson's thirst even after the great victory, and he cares for your ordinary needs too. Bring your ongoing, ordinary needs to God, who does not only act in the great moments but cares for us in the small and continual ones. God's care did not end with Samson's victory, but extended to his thirst; and God's care for you extends to your ordinary needs, even after the great moments. Cry to him in your ongoing need, as Samson cried, and trust the God who cares for us in the small and continual, not only the great.

Lord, after Samson won a great victory over the Philistines, he found himself in sudden, desperate need, dying of thirst; and he cried out, you have given this great deliverance; shall I now die of thirst? And you, hearing him, provided water. Even after the great victory, Samson had a real need, and you met it. Show me that even after being used by you for a great victory, Samson had a real, pressing need, and you provided for it. You did not say, I have already used you for great things; deal with your small needs yourself. You heard his cry, and provided water. Your care did not end with the great victory; it extended to his ordinary, ongoing needs. Give me the comfort of that, for I can feel that after you have used me for something significant, my ordinary ongoing needs are beneath your notice, or that I should manage them myself. But you met Samson's thirst even after the great deliverance; your care extends to my ordinary needs too. When I have a pressing, ordinary need, even after you have used or blessed me greatly, keep me from thinking it beneath your notice or that I must manage it alone; you cared for Samson's thirst even after the great victory, and you care for my ordinary needs too. Help me bring my ongoing, ordinary needs to you, Lord, who care for us in the small and continual, not only the great. I cry to you in my need, trusting your care.