May 8 Daily Devotional

Monthly Theme:

These readings focus on the Holy Spirit. In the Old Covenant (or Testament), the Spirit "anoints" one person here and one there to perform a special work for God. In the New Covenant, the Spirit is "poured out" like rain on the whole church of Christ.

Bible Reading:

Judges 16:23–30

Bible Text:

"0 Sovereign LORD, remember me. 0 God, please strengthen me just once more" (Judg. 16:28).

Devotional:

The temple of Dagon vibrated with jeers for Samson and cheers for the god Dagon. The capacity crowd made fun of a blinded Samson. They celebrated victory over Israel and its God.

This spectacle was one great humiliation of Samson and an insult to the God of Israel. Samson was supposed to be God's sword. But now the sword is broken, the Spirit departed, and the LORD God insulted.

Then Samson prayed. Please, my God, one more time! Give me strength just once more, 0 sovereign LORD. This Old Testament prayer for vengeance must be understood within its own framework. The honor of Samson and the honor of Israel is the honor of God. In New Testament times no person or nation can say that.

Savior Samson sacrificed his life. "He killed many more when he died than while he lived." That's an Old Testament salvation. Beyond this scene in Dagon's temple, we lift our eyes to see the Anointed One who also sacrificed his life. But by his death, Christ did not kill his enemies. By his death he saved them!

Right now the point is that God heard Samson's prayer. The fallen officeholder was reinstated. Once more the Spirit of strength invaded Samson and used him to glorify God.

And that's a big comfort to all of God's servants who have slipped and fallen.

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published in 1994. This edition is copyright by Faith Alive Christian Resources, from whom may be ordered Daylight, the predecessor of Twilight.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this edition of Twilight are from the New International Version

Be sure to read the "Preface" and the "Acknowledgments" by the author.