FINISHED WEEK 3! Yea...

Well, I have finished 3 entire weeks of the P90 X workout routine and still alive. The fourth week is considered a recovery week which still means 6 workouts next week but they are more cardio and less muscle so I am anxious to see how well it works!

I feel great. I went on my first grocery run for the next week and let me just say it is a good thing I am not working right now or I wouldn't be sure how to fit all this in every day! But now that I am loaded with great quality food, I am going to be cooking it up! I have lost approx 14 pounds...so feeling good so far!

I finished reading Judges, read through Ruth, and then on into 1 Samuel. It is really amazing to me to reread the story of Samson and Delilah and see the husband-wife relationship dynamics. Hear you have a man that is so powerful and strong and not even his wife knows of the source. Then Delilah was bribed by the Philistines to coax her husband into telling her of his strength's source so they could overtake Samson and kill him since Samson had killed so many Philistines and all were afraid of him. Of course, Delilah took the bribe and began conjuring up ways to get Samson to tell her of his strength's source. Of course, Samson wouldn't tell her the first 4-5 times...but finally after much nagging and questioning, Samson gave in and told Delilah that his hair was the reason he was so strong and that God was giving him the strength. Of course, that night she found out, she cut his hair and then let the Philistines come in and take him away to kill him.

What amazes me about this story are a couple of things: 1) Samson had to have known Delilah was bribed to find this out after 4-5 failed prior attempts, yet he continued to play with her and ultimately give in to her. 2) Delilah couldn't possibly think she was getting away with this without Samson knowing her efforts. These two points demonstrate to me how providential and sovereign our God is. Here is Samson most likely knowing what his wife is doing and yet can't withstand her efforts to subdue him and thus God's plan is in place and doing exactly what He wants in the situation. Then there is Delilah...still trying to thwart God's plan by intervening and being tricky with her husband even though she realizes Samson is not being honest with her when she inquires about his strength 4-5 times prior. Yet, through all this, God allows Delilah to "win the battle" yet in His infinite wisdom, she still "loses the war" by having Samson ultimately kill the Philistines by breaking down the temple columns and crushing an enormous amount of Philistines that day. In fact, the Bible says he killed more that day in his death than he killed during his entire life before that last act of strength.

It makes me wonder how many times either the my wife or I have been in a similar situation where one or both of us have tried to thwart God's plan rather than submitting and humbling ourselves...not to win the battle or the war...just to be obedient to His will. I can see Delilah right now trying really hard to get Samson to give in by cooking him his favorite meal or building up his ego or by complaining to the point of submission. We have all been there fellas! It is like hearing about changing the light bulb in one of those really difficult high spots in your house or hearing your wife complain about the trash not being taken out or hearing...you get my point. A woman has a way with her man. Delilah was no different.

What can we do to be sure we are following God's plans rather than our own? What can we do to be sure we are moving forward along God's path rather than being used by the Devil for his evil ways? To me, it is obedience that leads to a closeness with God that enables one to be able to cry out to Him in a time of great need (knowing you have been close to Him when you weren't in a crisis too) and God chooses to respond to you as He did with Samson. He provides. He gives you what you need and sometimes more. He loves you. He hears your call. He is with you.

That is the kind of man I want to be...a closeness to God such that He hears me when I call out. He loves me as His child. He provides and calls me His friend.