God is at work – do not give up.
I once was invited to a Saturday night gathering of a number of churches. I hadn’t heard the telephone call correctly. Listening is so over-rated… On arrival, I went into the back room of the church for a cup of coffee and to say hello to the other leaders. A lady came over to explain what was happening—worship, testimonies (remember them?), notices, and then over to me. Me? Turns out I was the preacher. I looked blankly at her, saying nothing, as I frantically scrambled around in my head, wondering what to preach to the 400-strong crowd excitedly worshipping in the main auditorium.
It probably sounded something like this…
“But the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.” (Judges 16:22, ESV)
Skip through Samson’s brilliant birth story, being set apart, angels, immense strength, and the chaos of his life as power and charisma met with a lack of character and integrity – his demise was an even greater spectacle of astonishment. That previous statement of Scripture about Samson’s hair sits quietly, defying Samson’s failure. No warning or announcement. Just a sentence that whispers. Slips in beneath the noise. And yet, it tells us everything we need to know about the nature of God’s grace.
Samson had fallen hard. Hair cut. Captured. Tortured. His strength, a symbol of God’s calling on his life, had been squandered. He broke his vow, betrayed his consecration, and was handed over to his enemies. And now blind, imprisoned, and ridiculed, he seemed entirely removed from the purpose he was born for. The crowds jeered, the temple echoed with laughter, and Israel’s great, strong, mighty deliverer had become entertainment in their equivalent of the O2 Arena.
But… (The word used in Scripture where despite the odds, the difficulties, the barriers and obstacle, God intervenes) while they paraded him like a trophy of defeat, something began in the shadows. His hair grew.
Not dramatically or suddenly. It rarely does. Just steadily. Quietly. Unseen by those who had written him off. But there it was – evidence that God hadn’t walked away. You might be able to relate. God is relentless and persistent in His grace and blessing for you but it is more often than not, slowly, bit by bit, little by little; and always as much as you need at that moment. The ‘suddenly’ of life comes suddenly and when we least expect it – perhaps a ‘suddenly’ is coming your way. Perhaps.
That process, Samson’s hair slowly growing, is what grace looks like sometimes. Not a rescue with fanfare, but a slow, almost unperceivable reawakening. A silent mercy moving in places no-one’s watching. And though the Philistines didn’t notice it, and Samson perhaps couldn’t feel it, heaven had not forgotten him. The clock was ticking, amber lights are flashing …
This wasn’t a story of second chances as in God’s dealings with Jonah. This was far deeper. This was a God who refuses to abandon what He already began.
There’s no denial; Samson’s failure was real. So was the judgement, but God’s covenant wasn’t based on performance. His purpose ran deeper than the man’s mistakes. And in that slow, almost imperceptible growth, God was preparing a return. Not to restore the past, but to fulfil the purpose.
It’s a word the church in the UK needs to hear. In a cultural moment where influence feels painfully diminished and relevance questioned, where the whispering voice of the church seems quieter and the gospel easily side-lined, it’s tempting to believe the story has moved on. That what once was strong has now been left behind.
But what if, in the silence, God is doing something again?
Not in headlines or social media platforms. Not through popularity or power. But in the unnoticed places. In hearts that are turning. In hidden spaces of prayer. In leaders marked not by charisma, but by repentance, godliness, faith and radical obedience. What if the hair is starting to grow again?
Slow. Quiet. Steady.
Not because we deserve another chance. But because God doesn’t forget His people. His glory isn’t finished with this land. And His mercy doesn’t rely on our performance to move.
It may not look like revival or feel like strength but the signs are there if you take time to look. There’s hunger. There’s confession. There’s a stripping back of the unnecessary. And in it all, there’s a whisper, “I’m not done.”
Samson’s return wasn’t flashy, no smoke machines or music intro. He stood between two pillars, humbled, broken – but with one more prayer on his lips. And God answered. Not because Samson had redeemed himself, but because God remembered him.
We don’t serve a God who forgets. We serve a God who, even in judgement, works toward mercy. Who allows shaking not to shame, but to prepare. Who restores not for nostalgia, but for glory.
The church may feel side-lined. Weak. Misunderstood. But she is not abandoned. And if the hair is growing again – slow as it may be – it’s because God is moving again. Grace upon grace. Quiet. Unseen. But real.
And when He moves, no one will ask how it happened. They’ll simply know: God remembered. And the story was never over.
Here comes the Church …