A Wasted Life
Jim Elliot said,
He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.
We have no control over the power of death. For some, life is short. I was reminded recently of several young lives that seemed to end much too soon. As much as we may seek to extend life through medicine and healthy living, it is ultimately in the hands of the Lord.
Jim Elliot knew he could not hold on to his life. Surrendering his life to the Lord earned him the martyrs crown while serving as a young missionary. What seemed like a tragic event, the Lord used for His glory. Because Elliot laid down his life for the cause of Christ, an unreached people group was reached with the Gospel.
I ask you friend, what are you living for? Are you holding your life with an open hand allowing the Lord to take it and use it for His glory? Or, are you living for sin and worldly pleasure?
A life lived for personal pleasure rather than for the glorification of Christ is a wasted life. This does not mean that we must all surrender to become martyred missionaries. Thankfully, God does not require this from the majority of us. It does signify, however, that our daily living should be reflecting the character and holiness of Christ.
Jesus told the story of a young man who lived a wasted life. This young man chose to leave the protection of his father’s home and experience the pleasures of the world. But as the Bible says, there is only pleasure in sin for a season (Heb. 11:25). This story is found in
Luke 15:11-16,
[H]e said, A certain man had two sons: …the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living...when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land, and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine…he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
Let’s take a look at three lessons from this passage:
The Receiving of the Inheritance
The son went to his father and demanded his inheritance of him. This young man sounds like many of the young people today who have an entitlement mentality. We somewhat expect the words “give me” to come from the mouth of a young child. However, we assume this childish behavior will be “put away” as one matures into adulthood (I Cor. 13:11).
The son had obtained nothing in and of himself. Everything he had was given to him by his father. In like manner, all that we possess – our possessions, our talents, our friends and families, and even our very lives – has been graciously given to us by our loving heavenly Father.
As much as society attempts to tell us otherwise, we are entitled to absolutely nothing. We are completely undeserving of God’s love. He has chosen to love us despite our unworthiness. While we were still lost in sin, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8).
The Riotous Living
The son took a journey into a far country. This indicates that he traveled abroad. The prodigal sought to be as far removed as possible from the protection, love, care, and authority of his father’s home. He was filled with selfish ambition and desire. He yearned to fulfill his fleshly lustful passions, which no doubt included wine, women, and song.
The Prodigal squandered his substances. He foolishly frittered away the blessings bestowed upon him by his extravagantly generous father.
God has generously bestowed His blessings upon us as His dear children. The majority of people in our world today are wasting the blessings God has given to them. Sadly, this applies to many Christians, as well as, non-believers.
The most wasted blessing of all is the free gift of salvation. There can be no greater waste of this gift than when a person chooses to reject it.
Have you wasted the blessings of God?
Several things we waste:
- God’s Word – We don’t read it, memorize it, or meditate upon it as we should. Psalm 1:2, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”
- Our Money – We use it only for personal gratification rather than allowing God to give to others through us. Someone said, “God will give through us what He will not give to us.”
- Our Time – We choose not to make God first priority in our daily schedules and routines. Do you prioritize time with God each day? What about church attendance? The Bible says, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Heb 10:25).
- Our Lives – We live for person pleasure and fulfillment instead of committing to God’s purpose for our lives. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
When a person seeks to invest his money, he looks for an investment with the greatest return possible. As Christians, there is no greater investment than in living a life that pleases God. We may not experience the return here on earth, but God has promised the blessing of eternal rewards.
For the Christian, his life will be revealed at the Judgment Seat of Christ. What he or she truly lived for will be made visible.
The Bible says,
Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire (1 Corinthians 3:13-15).
The Regret
There is pleasure in sin for a season, but it is short lived. The satisfaction of sin is only temporary. Alcohol, drugs, promiscuity may be enjoyed for a brief period, but will ultimately lead to self-destruction.
Romans 8:6,
“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
Galatians 6:8,
“For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
The Prodigal son enjoyed the thrills of sin for a while, but ultimately, the consequences caught up. There will always be a price to pay for sin. I’m sure while he was there in the pigsty, he had plenty of time to consider the sinful choices he had made.
What purpose are you living for?
Jesus Christ gives us the perfect example of a life worth emulating. His chief purpose was to lay down His life for the redemption of mankind. He lived His life for the fulfillment God’s will.
Matthew 20:28,
“Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
God found pleasure in the life lived by His Son.
Matthew 3:17,
“And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Just as Jesus laid down His own life for us, God asks of us to do the same.
1 John 3:16,
“Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
God desires for us to live a life pleasing to Him, to be fruitful in good works, and to grow in our knowledge and understanding of Him.
Colossians 1:10,
“That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;”
The Prodigal wasted his father’s living. He lived for personal pleasure and gratification.
Thankfully, that is not the end of the story!
Join me next week as we take a look at A Father’s Love!
Great post Julia! Loved your insight! Happy to share it on twitter and Facebook.
Thank you so much!