Not Great, but Real

Actions
Judges 15:1-16:31

"After this, Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who lived in the Valley of Sorek. The Philistine rulers went to Delilah and said, 'Find out what makes Samson so strong. Trick him into telling you how we can overpower him and capture him and tie him up. If you do this, each one of us will give you twenty-eight pounds of silver." (Judges 16:4-5)

More interesting tales of Samson... some actually involving tails. (Samson wanted his first wife back and when his father-and-law wouldn't have it, he took 300 foxes and tied their tails together in pairs and then attached a torch to the end! Hmm... not exactly what I do when I'm a bit steamed. ;o) But let's consider Delilah. Poor Samson, he seems to be unlucky in love and he seems to fall pretty hard and pretty fast, so I myself wonder whether it was just a 'pretty face' type of deal. So, anyhow... his second time around, he chooses Delilah who turns in her own husband for 28 pounds of silver! I wonder why Samson wasn't suspicious when she kept trying to tie him up, but she must've been pretty convincing... and I suppose we let ourselves be convinced sometimes and sometimes we ourselves are deceitful in our ways. Lord, teach me to speak truth in word and action... because Your grace allows me to be real. Forgive me for times that I have been deceitful.

Character
Psalm 51:1-5

"I know about my wrongs, and I can't forget my sin. You are the only one I have sinned against; I have done what you say is wrong. You are right when you speak and fair when you judge. I was brought into this world in sin. In sin my mother gave birth to me." (Psalm 51:3-5)

This is such an important part of our spiritual lives that we so often forget. We sin, big sins and little sins, all the time. But we must remember that we do sin, so that we stop sinning and so we ask forgiveness from one another and from the Lord, who it hurts so deeply. Our character is sinful, perhaps why we are so susceptible to fall into sin... but we can call out to our Lord with a sincere heart and ask for forgiveness... for help so that we may not fall, for cleansing of our sins, freedom from our guilt and for a love that covers our inequities. Lord, I am not enough on my own... I am a sinner, and I have done so many wrong things... show me where I need to change Lord... and forgive me for those sins, because I need Your forgiveness.

Prayer
Luke 18:1-25

"A Pharisee and a tax collector both went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee stood alone and prayed, 'God I thank you that I am not like other people who steal, cheat, or take part in adultery, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I give one-tenth of everything I get!' The tax collector, standing at a distance would not even look up to heaven. But he beat on his chest because he was so sad. He said, 'God have mercy on me, a sinner.' I tell you, when this man went home, he was right with God, but the Pharisee was not. All who make themselves great will be made humble, but all who make themselves humble will be made great." (Luke 18:10-14)

Ah, the familiar story juxtaposing two prayers... we love to compare ourselves to the tax collector... but in doing so, don't we really make ourselves like the Pharisee who thought himself better than others? Humility is something that can't be forced or taught except through the guidance of the Lord and the Holy Spirit. It has to come from a place deep inside where we really know that we are not enough. If you feel like you've never failed, you've never struggled, you've never sinned, you'll never feel 'beat on your chest and feel so sad.' You'll never open yourself to God and cry in remorse, in sadness, begging forgiveness for the sins that have hurt you, that have hurt others, that have hurt the Lord. Lord, I'm not great... but I am who I am... and that to me is the most amazing thing about You. You love a sinner like me.