BUT HE GIVETH MORE GRACE!

The longer I serve the Lord, the more I realize how utterly sinful I really am. The more sinful things I give up, the more I realize how much remains yet to be given up. The more I do things I should do because to not do them would be sin, the more I realize how much more there is to do. About the time I get exasperated and say, “There is no use in even trying” the Lord reminds me of His amazing grace.
Recently, I was reading in the book of Judges the account of mighty Samson. Samson was a man separated by God to judge Israel. He was given great means to do this. Yet, Samson by and large squandered his gifts and lived a life of gratifying his flesh. Eventually, Samson’s head was shaven (his great strength was tied in part to his hair), he was overcome by the Philistines, his eyes were gouged out, and he was made a slave no better than a donkey. In the midst of this narrative God records this statement, “Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.” This is a statement of hope!
Why would God make this, what seems to be, an out of the way comment? Samson had wasted his gifts on his own carnal desires! He had spurned God’s goodness! Despite all of these things I believe God is communicating to us that He would soon be giving more grace to Samson, and if you read on God does just that.
Based on what I read of Samson in the Old Testament I would not put him on the list of folks going to heaven. I just don’t see any righteousness in him. Did you know that God records him as one of the Old Testament saints of great faith in Hebrews eleven (see Hebrews 11:32)? Samson is a child of God saved by grace through faith.
God’s grace truly is amazing. None of us deserve it. We cannot earn it. We all need it. “Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But He (God) giveth more grace” (James 4:5-6a). Dear believer, there are consequences to pay for our sins. Samson paid for his. But if you are still breathing God is not done with you yet. There is still hope! There is still “more grace!” Thanks be to God for His marvelous, amazing grace!