April 28 Delilah: Guarding Against Distractions

Recognizing and avoiding the pitfalls of worldly allure

Jewel Meikle,
George Town SDA Church

 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you – 1 John 2:15

Delilah was the beautiful Philistine woman who bribed and entrapped Samson into revealing the secret of the strength of his long hair. She took advantage of his confidence and betrayed him to his enemies and this story is recorded in the Bible in Judges, chapters 13 - 16. Her name has since then become synonymous with a voluptuous and treacherous woman. 

 Nonetheless, we cannot deny the fact that Delilah’s story is a part of Samson’s story. Their entwined life’s choices impacted not only themselves, but an entire nation. And as His custom is, God expects us to search the scriptures to find the gems of truth in plain sight, so here are a few insights I have gleaned from Delilah: 

 Lesson # 1: Our true identify lies in Christ. Let the words of hymn # 570 be your identity mantra: “Not I, but Christ be honored, loved, exalted; Not I, but Christ, be seen, be known, be heard; Not I, but Christ, in every look and action; Not I, but Christ, in every thought and word.”

 Lesson # 2: Know that alignment with Christ leads to better life choices. Hymn # 290 reminds us to “Turn your eyes upon Jesus; Look full in His wonderful face; And the things of earth will grow strangely dim; In the light of His glory and grace.” Let God’s Words be our standard for what we read, watch on TV/social media, and listen to as music. Let God’s Words guide who we choose as friends and spouses and what we choose as our life’s career path or ministry.

 Lesson # 3: Conquering our passions with the Word of God. The lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life are the three areas where the first Adam failed, but, Christ, our second Adam, did not. Hymn # 184 tells us that “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain; He washed it white as snow.” Be mindful of our individual weaknesses; the sins that so easily beset us and run with patience the race that is set before us. God encourages us to walk in faith (Hebrews 12:1). He admonishes us to “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26: 41).t

 Lesson # 4: Ask God for the gift of discernment to avoid the traps and snares that the devil continually sets to hurt us. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding; In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct thy path (Proverbs 3:5 – 6).

Be obedient to God’s commandments. This is our sure protection and shield from danger in all its forms.

Lesson # 5: Faith in God without works is dead. We must not only talk the talk, but we must also walk the walk. How can we do this? We are to present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy, acceptable unto God, it is our reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds, that we may prove what is good, and acceptable and the perfect will of God (Romans 12: 1-2). 

 Prayer: Lord, thank you for the spiritual lessons from Delilah and Samson. They are indeed apples of gold in pitchers of silver. Amen