Do you hear it? It’s the cavalry charge, a rousing theme based on Rossini’s William Tell Overture. Both children and adults would gather around the family radio, waiting to hear the clippity-clop of that frantically galloping horse and then that famous cry, Hi Yo, Silver, Away! The Lone Ranger had its maiden broadcast on January 31, 1933, on WXYZ in Detroit, Michigan. Here’s the synopsis of the story: John Reid was the only survivor of a group of six Texas rangers who were ambushed by the dreaded Cavendish gang. John is found by an Indian and nursed back to life. Tonto explains to a confused man that You only ranger left; you lone ranger! With Tonto as his faithful companion, the Lone Ranger would dedicate his life to fighting lawlessness and corruption.
The Book of Judges descends into a period of national deterioration for the newly formed nation of Israel. A deadly pattern develops, a pattern of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance, a pattern that would repeat seven times in the book. God remains faithful to His rebellious people, sending judges to lead His people into battle against the heathen nation’s intent on enslaving them. But with each cycle the spiritual temperature of God’s people steadily cools until we are introduced to a lone ranger of sort, a man who would epitomize the spiritual decline of his people, a man who consistently abandons his calling to satisfy his own selfish desires.
Unlike the judges before him, Samson leads no army; he would perform his heroic deeds single-handedly, alone. While other judges consciously sought God’s direction and power, God had to force His involvement on Samson. Repeatedly we are told that “the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him,” without Samson ever requesting any intervention from the true source of his strength. But there is one notable exception. When Samson is brought to the end of himself, when he finds himself bearing the fruit of his self-sufficiency, when he is alone, blind, and in bondage we read that finally he calls upon the Lord, “O Lord God, remember me.”
I can have that lone ranger bent at times, trying to accomplish life in my own power, with my own wit, in my own direction. How tragic for a believer! I don’t want God to have to force His presence into my life; I desire to “live in the Spirit,” and “also walk in the Spirit.” I realize that “My flesh and my heart faileth,” but my God does not fail, He is “my portion forever.” May I always be reminded of that precious truth when I tend to take over the reins in my own life.
Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart deviseth his way; but the LORD directeth his steps.
Lord, I often tend to blaze my own path, void of Your guidance. Forgive me and lead me in Your path with Your power.