Then Samson called to the Lord, saying, “O Lord God, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!” And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars which supported the temple, and he braced himself against them, one on his right and the other on his left. (Judges 16: 28-29)
I was drawn again to the story of Samson recently. He is one of my Bible heroes and not because of his macho image and strength. Actually it is the opposite – I find it compelling how he is so weakened, so brutalised by his enemies, and betrayed by the woman he loves, and suffers horrendously to the point of having his eyes gouged out… but when all is lost this great judge of Israel lifts his heart to the heavens and calls his soul to the Lord, asking for remembrance. And the Lord answers his prayer because He loves Samson and remembers his historic devotion to him. God remembers him.
Samson suffered such pain at the loss in his life but he remembered the freedom he once had and the power in which he walked with the Lord. This child of God acknowledged how wonderful the Almighty is and His goodness to Him. The warrior inside recalled his responsibility to represent the divine and when he humbled his soul, the Holy Spirit touched him. He remembered God and God remembered him.
Remembrance is so very personal. And when I read the passage again about Samson, the Holy Spirit recalled to my mind the story of another man in the Bible: the thief on the cross. He is not known for anything except his crimes. As with Samson, this man is crushed both physically, emotionally and mentally. He is at the end of his life and yet he musters his heart and asks humbly that Jesus would at the very least remember him. The Lord turns to the cross beside Him, and promises that that very day this former thief would be joining him in paradise. He remembered God and God remembered him.
One of the criminals who hung there heaped abuse on Him. “Are You not the Christ?” he said. “Save Yourself and us!”
But the other one rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same judgment? We are punished justly, for we are receiving what our actions deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!”
And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23: 39-43)
Two men with two different life stories but both in the depths of despair, called out to the Lord for remembrance and He answered very, very powerfully.
And then I recall (remember!) a third person in the Bible: the man plagued with demons who lived by the tombs and was set free by Christ: “When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside. So the people went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man whom the demons had left, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Meanwhile, those who had seen it reported how the demon-possessed man had been healed.” (Luke 8:34-36)
Jesus sets out across a wide expanse of sea for a single purpose – to reach a man that God remembers. In fact, the Lord reaches across not only the wild waters to get to this man in despair but, when he lands on shore, He reaches right inside him personally, to his soul, and sets him free from the devil. How beautiful a moment, when the Bible records this man sitting peacefully next to Jesus. It’s a perfect picture of harmony.
Whatever situation we find ourselves facing today – let’s put the Lord first and remember Him. Bring ourselves to God and those we care for, and plead with Him to remember. And He will. He always does.
Two years ago I suffered a brain bleed and nearly died: unconscious for 36 hours, literally locked in a secure high dependency brain injuries unit for two weeks, cowled on a bed for hours on end with a feeling like someone smashing a door on my head, as the blood seeped down the back of my brain and spine. But the Lord remembered me and rescued me from dire, deathly circumstances. I made a full recovery.
It’s a simple fact that when the Lord remembers, everything changes.
The Lord remembers you too.
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