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And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” 1 Samuel 3:10 Early in my career, we moved into a shiny new Emergency Room, complete with too many bells and whistles. At first, all the alarms were unnerving. Each time one went off, which…
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Her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. I Samuel 1:6 We recently watched a movie at home, in which several characters, born with congenital disabilities, were mocked mercilessly by others. Monsters, they called them. This, of course, provoked a visceral reaction in us, as we realized…
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Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once . . .Judges 16:28 Whenever I have caused myself and my family pain with my destructive choices, I have almost always tried to bargain with God. God, I will do whatever it takes to…
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Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and how you might be bound, that one could subdue you.” Judges 16:6 God gave Samson, one of the Israelite leaders, superhuman strength, which was dependent on his long hair. Though he possessed colossal power, he also possessed profound stupidity. In the story,…
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I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines . . . Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes. Judges 14:2,3 At work one day, I saw a white cardboard box that obviously came from a bakery. As I have sworn off donuts, I had no plans to eat a donut, but…
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Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, “A woman killed him.” Judges 9:54 An alcoholic recently shared this thought with me – When I don’t drink, I do good. When I drink, bad things happen. My internal response was condescending – No kidding professor. Then maybe you should stop drinking. Though…
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You have not obeyed my voice . . . So now I say . . . they shall become thorns in your sides . . . Judges 2:2-3 Over the years, my family has made several attempts at gardening, with little success. Though we start out in the spring with good intentions, as June turns to…
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Put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord. Joshua 24:23 When I first attempted recovery, well-meaning Christians told me, All you need is Jesus, by which they meant that I did not need treatment, 12-steps or counseling. Just go to church. That didn’t seem entirely right, but I…
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Choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15 Every morning, as I sit in my chair and pray, I…
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The Levites have no portion among you, for the priesthood of the Lord is their heritage. Joshua 18:7 Most of us who have lived in addiction have known the desperate desire for freedom. Why then, were we not willing to do whatever it took to find it? This is the nature of addiction: an unhealthy attachment…
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