A Story of God and All of Us Young Reade - By Roma Downey Page 0,18

sake of us all. For every Philistine you kill, two more appear, seeking revenge--on us," says Elan.

"As they did to me, so I have done to them."

Elan is growing exasperated. "Don't you realize that the Philistines are our rulers now?"

"Everyone," Samson replies, "must do what he thinks is right."

"No, Samson. Do what's right for your people and for God. Not for yourself."

Samson's mother steps forward and takes his hand.

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"You must give yourself up, my son," she whispers tenderly.

"Is that what God wants?" replies a crushed Samson.

"Sometimes... you must trust in God. He leads us in ways we cannot see. He will guide the choices you make. We must trust in God."

Samson looks to the sky. It feels like an eternity. Then he bows his head and extends his powerful hands. With great relief, Elan nods, and two men step forward to bind those thick wrists with rope. Samson looks to his mother for support, but she cannot meet his eyes. Samson, the strongest man in the land, allows himself to be meekly led away.

Samson is now chained to a stone wall in the market square. Those powerful arms are secured straight out to each side, and the metal chains bite into his wrists. More than one man wonders if Samson will somehow break those chains and continue his revenge.

Only Abimilech, a Philistine commander, dares to come face-to-face with Samson. The two men stand inches apart, glaring into each other's eyes.

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"Now that you have me, will you finally leave my people alone?" asks Samson.

Abimilech laughs. "Not until we drive you all back into the wilderness, where you belong."

The Philistine soldiers draw their swords. Abimilech steps back to watch.

Samson hears a voice. "Lord?" he replies, startled to realize that God has waited until his moment of greatest need to speak to him. Samson gazes at the ground, where the jawbone of a donkey rests in the desert dust, dirty and neglected. A new power ripples through Samson, and he knows that the bone has been placed there for a purpose. The soldiers are mere steps away. Samson is not looking at them, much to the dismay of Abimilech.

Instead, Samson stares at the jawbone and speaks to God. "Lord," he asks more loudly, "is that you?"

"It is."

Samson hears God's voice and is amazed at the power beyond all power coursing through his muscles. Samson snaps his chains as if they were made of twigs. He takes hold of the steel links and swings them around his head to force the soldiers back. Believing that their sharpened swords will save them, the Philistines rush at him, only to have Samson drive them to the ground with the snap of a chain.

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Samson then snatches the jawbone from the ground. Chains still dangle from his wrists, but now he has a weapon--a length of sun-dried bone no different from any other donkey's jawbone, but Samson wields it like the greatest weapon known to mankind.

After overtaking the Philistine soldiers, Samson doesn't walk far. The moment he turns a corner into an alley, he falls to his knees. Breathlessly, he presses his hands together and speaks to God. "Lord," he asks, "is this what you want? Please, I beg of you, guide me."

Samson hears footsteps behind him. He leaps to his feet, jawbone in hand, believing it to be yet another soldier. But it is a woman. She is clearly a Philistine, but she is so utterly stunning that Samson forgets his rage and simply stares into her dark eyes. The woman carries a jug of water, which she now places on the ground. Staring into Samson's eyes, she pulls back the scarf that covers her head, then bends to pour a cup of water and holds it up for him to drink.

Samson suddenly realizes his great thirst. Hours chained in the market square have made him parched. He feels the thickness of his tongue, and his lips are dry, chapped. He drinks greedily.

Samson gulps the last of the water and wipes his lips with the back of his hand. "Who are you?" he says finally.

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"My name is Delilah," she answers.

Time passes and Samson grows to trust Delilah. But this is dangerous.

Abimilech has offered Delilah thousands of silver coins to find out the truth behind Samson's strength.

"You seem invincible," she says innocently one day. "Can anyone defeat you?"

A confused Samson turns to face her. "What do you mean?"

"Just curious. There seems to be a secret to your strength. If we are to be together, we shouldn't have secrets."

"God