May 8, 2024 – The Dollar Spot Devotions: Hair Ties – Functional Hair Product or Cat Toy?

“When Delilah realized that he had told her his whole secret, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “This time come up, for he has told his whole secret to me.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and brought the money in their hands.  She let him fall asleep on her lap; and she called a man, and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. He began to weaken, and his strength left him. Then she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” When he awoke from his sleep, he thought, “I will go out as at other times, and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him. So the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes. They brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles; and he ground at the mill in the prison.  But the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved. Now the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon, and to rejoice; for they said, “Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand.”  When the people saw him, they praised their god; And when their hearts were merry, they said, “Call Samson, and let him entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he performed for them. They made him stand between the pillars;  and Samson said to the attendant who held him by the hand, “Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, so that I may lean against them.”   Now the house was full of men and women; all the lords of the Philistines were there, and on the roof there were about three thousand men and women….Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “Lord God, remember me and strengthen me only this once, O God, so that with this one act of revenge I may pay back the Philistines for my two eyes.” And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other.  Then Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” He strained with all his might; and the house fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So those he killed at his death were more than those he had killed during his life.” Judges 16:18-30

I have a daughter, and I coached my daughter’s soccer team for many years. Needless to say, I have a lot of hair ties and hair bands around – around the house and around the car. But somewhere in the house, one of our cats has a stash of hair ties hidden in places we cannot find them.  She can sniff out a hair band anywhere in the house. The hair ties in the dollar spot section are fancy hair ties – they have the appearance of being braided.

Did Samson have his hair braided? Or was it long and luxurious? We don’t know. He did have long hair because he was designated a Nazirite at birth, one designated to G-d, and thus was never to have a razor cut his hair.  Maybe if he had a hair tie he could have avoided the confrontation he had with Delilah. The story of Samson may be a tragic one, but he was one of the judges of Israel and he judged them for twenty years. He had wisdom and he had strength. And yes, he was a flawed individual as well. It gives us flawed people hope knowing that G-d does not give up on flawed people, but uses even them for the Glory of G-d.

Look at the previous story of Zacchaeus from yesterday’s devotion. He was a flawed man, but Jesus announced that he was coming to his house today – and the people grumbled about “who it was” Jesus was going to visit – a sinner. Jesus ministers to sinners because there are no perfect people in the world.  G-d uses Moses to lead the people; G-d uses Jonah to proclaim the word of repentance; G-d uses Samson to fight for G-d; and G-d uses Saul to become an Apostle in the early church — and each one of them certainly had their flaws. 

G-d has plans to use you and me – and we are not perfect people. G-d has no one to pick from if G-d is only going to use perfect people. But, as for us flawed ones, well there are so many of us. And G-d needs each one of us to be a part of the “Nazirites” – those who are dedicated to G-d – to serve the purposes of G-d. 

Pastor Dave 

May 7, 2024 – The Dollar Spot Devotions: The Telescoping Marshmallow Skewer – How Short Are Your Arms?

“He entered Jericho and was passing through it.  A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich.   He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature.  So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way.   When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.”  So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him.  All who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.”  Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.”  Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.” Luke 19:1-10

One of the great things about summer is having the opportunity to hang out in your back yard, or a neighbor’s back yard around a fire pit.  And where there is a fire pit, there is a bag of marshmallows, graham crackers, and some chocolate. For some reason I cannot keep our marshmallow skewers in a place I can find them from year to year, so I often have to grab a stick from the back yard and whittle a point on the end in order to roast marshmallows. But now, my “dollar spot” has the answer to my problem – a telescoping marshmallow skewer. This handy device will serve two purposes: first, I can put them in a drawer in the kitchen when we are done using them, so I will be able to find them. Second, if you have short arms, you don’t have to sit so close to the fire since the skewer has a telescoping arm. 

Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector in Jericho, and he had short arms, and legs, and, well everything about him was short in stature. But he also had big responsibilities. And being a tax collector not only meant big responsibilities, but it also meant that he was not liked much by the people. One day this short man sees Jesus – or at least is trying to see Jesus, but the crowd is too big. So, he does what any short person has to do – he finds higher ground – or in his case a high tree. Jesus sees him and calls him down because, as Jesus says, “I MUST stay in your house today.”  Jesus knows the reputation of this tax collector, but that does not stop him from developing a relationship with him. And in calling him to be a part of his life, Jesus changes the life of Zacchaeus. When we develop a relationship with Jesus, many of us will be convicted to be called to accountability in all aspects of our lives. If we are to be call ourselves Christians, then we need to allow the love of G-d made manifest through the life of Jesus to change us. For some of us, that change will be spontaneous. For others, the change will be slow and steady. But the change needs to come because the love and mercy and Grace that G-d offers to us through Jesus is not a minor event. If Jesus says to you “I am coming to your house”, I imagine there is a lot of cleaning and throwing out all of us will need to undertake.  So, why not start now – because Jesus is calling you now – “____________” (insert your name) “I MUST stay at YOUR house today.”

Don’t delay – Jesus wants to come to stay.

Pastor Dave