“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end
it leads to death.” Revelation 2:5
I’ve heard it said in frustration before: “Oh…things just aren’t going
my way today!” We, of course, get what
people mean by that. It seems that when
‘things’ go our way, we have a good day.
When ‘things’ don’t go our way, we tend to have a bad day. Right?
And wouldn’t it be a grand existence if things ALWAYS went our way?
What if somehow we could magically make all the traffic lights green
when we were crossing town? What if we
could eat whatever we want and never gain a pound, or have cavities in our
teeth? What if we could spend and spend,
and buy anything and everything we ever wanted…and never go over drawn? What if we could have anything or anyone we
wanted at any time? Cool huh? How wonderful would it be if all of life
always went our way? Pure, unadulterated
self-indulgence... That would really be
‘heaven’ wouldn’t it? Or would it?
In Ecclesiastes 2:10-11, King Solomon describes his own experiment in
self-indulgence: “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no
pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all
my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that
my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless,
a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.”
It was empty. A ‘chasing after
the wind.’ Do you ever catch yourself
chasing the wind? I think we all
do. When we decide that life is all
about ourselves…our wants, our needs, our ambitions… When we all but require
that life ‘go OUR way.’…we ultimately find it to be empty. It is indeed a fruitless, frustrating,
disappointing ‘chasing after the wind.’
Nor can we be our own compass.
Once we realize life is not all about us or our indulgences, we cannot
guide ourselves to what is right, or beneficial, or righteous. Not when every atom of our flesh says that
life is about ‘Me! Me! Me!!!’ We need
outside management.
A Better Way
At 7:30 this morning, my friend and brother in the faith Joe sent me a
text message and encouraged me to have…not a good day, or a nice day…but a
“Godly day.” That really reframes the day altogether doesn’t it? Now it suddenly doesn’t matter if things go
‘my way’ or not. In fact, I think I’d
rather not have them go my way at all.
My way is a way laden with pitfalls and pattern sins. On a daily basis, I need a way that is NOT my
way. Whether it rains or shines, whether
circumstances ‘go my way’ or seem to work against me. Whether I succeed or fail, it is not about
me. It is about me living God’s
way.
Focusing my vision on having a Godly day…tempering my actions and
reactions on His character and love… Making the life and example of the Lord
Jesus my compass, this is a much better way.
There IS a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to
death. I need to be reminded daily that
this is MY way. I must surrender my
determination to have or be what I want, or think I need, and follow a better
way.
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus said: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I
will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle
and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” A
much better way! Do this today…and as my
friend Joe says: “Have a Godly day.”
Prayer
Almighty God, Lordship is a difficult task
for us. Surrender is so hard, because we
feel the need to lead our own lives. But
we do NOT know what is best! Please
Father; work with us in your hands. Lead
us into your way. Help us to deny our own desires and tendencies, that we might
have life – real life, and that more abundantly. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Submitted By Kerry Patton
