Friday Devo - Vow Fulfilled

Read Judges 16:21-31
Normally, a Nazirite makes a vow for a certain amount of time then is free. After he has fulfilled his vow he goes to the entrance of the Tabernacle and offers sacrifices to the Lord. Then the Nazirite shaves their head and the hair is placed on the fire under the sacrifice. The priest puts some of the sacrifice into the hands of the Naiarite. After this ceremony the Nazirite may drink wine again.
Samson was different because he was to be a Nazirite till he died. If a Nazirite comes into contact with a dead person, then the hair he has dedicated will be defiled and has to be shaved. That is what happened to Samson, he chose to associate with the dead - Deliah; so his head was defiled. It had to be shaved. Delilah had just the right barber. The Philistines put out his eyes, brought him to Gaza (which ironically means "strong") and bound him with fetters of brass. Brass is from a Hebrew word that means "from the red color of the throat of a serpent when hissing". Satan was certainly hissing when he delivered Samson over to the Philistines. His eyes had been used to get him in trouble in the past. He admired way too many women with them. His eyes won't be troubling him anymore. He was made to grind in the prison house.
However, God is a redeeming God. While Samson was grinding in the prison house, his hair began to grow. The Philistines were celebrating their fish god, Dagon for delivering them from their enemies, mainly Samson. After a few too many drinks, they called to have Samson brought out so they could taunt him. A much humbler Samson came out and called out to God to give him strength to avenge him of his eyes. He stood in the entrance of the building and took the pillars and brought the roof down. He became the sacrifice, that his vow would be fulfilled. He killed more Philistines in his death than in his life.
Samson is always a sad story to me because although Samson was dedicated to God, he never seemed to accept it or make it a goal. Instead of embracing his calling to start delivering the Israelites from the Philistines, he was motivated by revenge and rage. And instead of wanting a relationship with God, he had a lot of relationships with harlots. It does prove that the gifts of God are without repentence. (Ro. 11:29) They don't depend on our devotion or anything we do.
I pray that we use our gifts for God with great joy and devotion. May we enjoy our jouney with God and all the ways he choses to use us. Purify our hearts O God!