Returned two days ago from a gathering of men in Gastonia, NC, which I spoke.  My mind is still contemplating the interactions, message and effects of the trip.  One of the ideas that was forefront was the musings on  Samson and how we can learn so much from this man’s life and the image of him we share.  As I laid out the ideas of this man’s life it became visible in the face of the listeners that Samson was not a story of failure, bad decisions and what not to do with your life. Rather it was a story of a man who faced fear, loneliness, rejection, and opposition . . . victoriously.  Well, maybe not in man’s eyes or mine at first, but clearly in the eyes of God.

This journey into the life of Samson began on a Tuesday afternoon in February 2010.  I was heading down into the C Block of the County Jail on my way to speak to the inmates.  This had been a regular event for about eight months.  Walking through each check point the crash of the iron door behind me reminded me of where I was, more importantly where these men were.  As I talked with God about what was prepared, he spoke clearly to me, “Samson.” “No,”  I thought to myself.   “We do not need another message of what not to do, the importance of keeping your vows and of course prostitutes and Delilah. “  I heard his voice again with a question, but this time with more clarification, “What do I think about Samson?”  My mind raced and remembered Hebrews.  Did not remember the verse so I flipped my bible open and raced through the pages in search of an underlined area that would assist in my location of the verse.  And I saw it in chapter 11 and verses 32-34, man of faith whom God was pleased.  If God was pleased with Samson why has Sunday school, church and teachers created such a negative image of this man.  More importantly what was God wanting me to share with the inmates this morning.

Here begins our journey and through the next series of blogs we will expose the cover up and the greatness of Grace.

To be continued…