What is your prostitute?

Do you remember the “great old bible stories” you heard as a child and how captivated  you were by the greatness of it all?

Noah - the man of faith, building the ark, with all the different animals under one roof? How on earth did he get them in there? What methods did he use to get them to follow him?

What about Jonah and the Whale – What went through his mind exactly when he was in the stomach of the whale? I cannot - not even in my wildest dreams, [and in the comfort of my home] imagine what he must have felt like... thinking about? Or was he just praying and repenting - scared of drowning everytime the whale opened his mouth. Surely it must have smelled!! 

Another old time favourite is the wonderful story of Moses. A story with so many hidden truths. And also a  story of a mothers protective love for her child, how she decided to stand the chance of ‘loosing’ him by hiding him by the side of the River Nile, not knowing if she will ever see him again! But in the end, God’s merciful love, orchestrating events for her to still raise her own child whilst in the care of another women. And then this young man, who grew up as an Egyptian prince, never forgot that he was a Hebrew and that his God had a calling on his life: to free the Hebrews from slavery.

Then there was Samson!  No ordinary man. A super human being.  A real-world Superman. Who killed a lion with his bare hands!  A man who's life story made me look deep and hard into my own life...

Samson. A captivating story of a man whom God miraculously brought into this world and whom He ordered to be put under a special consecration governed by the Nazirite vow. 

Not only was Samson a man called to deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines who were occupying the land and oppressing Israel, he was also a man who did not share God’s hatred of evil, a man who lacked a compelling zeal to see Israel freed of Philistine domination.

Samson didn’t think the Philistines were all that bad. He even made an attempt to blend into their lustful and perverted society. His first girlfriend was a Philistine from Timnath (chapter 14). He became so infatuated with her he pressured his parents to approve their marriage. It was on one of his trips to visit his girl that he was attacked by an Asian Lion. Whom he bare-handed grabbed and tored in two.

Samson married her but their marriage did not last a week.  His wife betrayed him. He was angry and discouraged.  Rejected and alone.  And after a while when he got lonely he went back to get his wife - only to find that she had been given to another man (chapter 15).

He frequently visited prostitutes – giving in to the lustful desire of his flesh. Then he met Delilah.  A [another] prostitute with whom he was besotted with.  A prostitute – a wrong decision - that caused him to lose everything;

His strength.

His sight.

His honour.

His life.


And still didn’t he realise he was on a destructive path…

Samson and Delilah.

A true story with great lessons to be learnt and still very relevant in this day and age.

Just like all of us, Samson wanted love and happiness. Acceptance.

But he chose the wrong path.

He made bad choices.

He made mistakes.

He gave in to the luring of the evil --- Very relevant to me and you, as we too make wrong decisions. Bad choices. More often than we would admit. 

What did I learn from Samson and Delilah?

To really look deep into my own life, and ask myself this one question:

What is the ‘prostitute’ in my life? [and in your life]

- Is it my longing for affection and acceptance?

- Rebellion perhaps?
- The internet?

- My marriage?

- Maybe your work?

- Friends?

- An affair?
- Pornography?

- Unforgiveness?

- Money?
- Not sowing?
- Swinger parties?
- An old flame?
- Strip Clubs

What is ‘it’ that cause you to go astray?
To not be obedient?

What is the ‘prostitute’ in your life that brings distance between you and Jesus?

and then finally.... Is it worth it to have this ‘prostitute’ on the side…..