Post Sunday Devo July 20

“There is a way that seems right to man, but its end is the way of death.” Proverbs 16:25

“And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go." John 11:44

Have you ever done something for years and then a different way, an easier way or the correct way was then pointed out to you? I’m not talking about something that makes little or no difference, like how you make coffee or whether or not you take the highway or backroads to get to church. I’m talking about life impacting things. Such things as how you speak to people, how you handle your finances, how you conduct your social life, how you study and prepare for tests, schoolwork or your future, when you pray, and what you believe and how you believe in God. These types of areas in your life and many others like them can have serious ramifications on your life. Proverbs is a book written to help us conduct our lives and was a book written by a wise sage who came to this conclusion about life:
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.”

The ways contained within Proverbs are ways that you can trust. They are ways that will if read, if meditated upon will be ways that will help bolster what you are currently doing or change what you are currently doing. As a Christ follower’s we should be seeking and desiring to bring all our ways under the authority and control of Christ. We should desire to please Him in every way and avenue of our life.

In a non-morbid way, begin to imagine if your life would end today. Don’t so much think about what you haven’t done, but think about what you just did. What way (Proverbs 16:25) are you living today that seems so right to you? How did you spend your Sunday? What did God speak to you about during the message you heard on Sunday? Did you hear a message on Sunday? Did you sing the music? Did the words of the songs speak to you? Did you understand what the song was communicating? Were you singing the praise to God? What time did you wake up? What did you do when you woke up? How did you eat? How do you feel? What did you think? Who did you hang out with? How did you treat those around you? How did you speak to those around you? What kind of conversations did you have? Did you watch TV? Did you read? What did you watch, what did you read? How late did you stay up? Doing what? Actively think through those questions. Don’t just simply say I had a conversation with so and so. Was the conversation encouraging? Was it gossip? Did you fail to ask better questions? Were you honest with your responses? Were you inciting division? Think, it is important, because it is a way that seemed right to you, whether it be for that moment or for each moment of your life, it is a way that you deemed right. They were the way you choose. Were they the right way for God?

The beginning verses were of course Proverbs 16:25 which has been our discussion thus far, the way that seems right, but there is also the verse from John chapter 11. This is taken from the story of Lazarus, who had been dead for four days. I’m not going to begin a commentary on the way he chose to live his life. I want us instead to imagine actually being dead for four days, leaving this earth, our families, our friends and all else that we have known here physically for four days and then suddenly being brought back to life. Do you really honestly think that Lazarus chose to live the same way after being given this second chance to physically live? Heaven will dwarf any experience here on earth ( 1 Corinthians 2:9 “But as it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.") but for now we live a way that both impacts our lives and the lives of those around us. Lazarus’ family, friends and Jesus Himself were weeping because of his passing. His life, the way he lived his life mattered to them, they cherished his life and they loved him. After being gone, really gone! For four days can you imagine how he looked at life on this earth from this point on? The way he chose to live was probably much more important for he knew firsthand that one day it would end and the end would not be his choice, but the way he chose to live would be.

Until we are willing to honestly put all of our ways under God’s microscope they are probably ways that simply end in death. See beyond the word death. Death is physical, but it also a word that speaks of an end, destruction, nothingness, meaningless, silence, etc. None of us want our ways to be nothingness, to not be heard, we want our ways to speak for God, to add life to His great Kingdom, to be ways that are right for God, the One who is everlasting, the Living Water that flows and refreshes. Review your ways and come forth, be loosed and live!

Questions to Ask Yourself

1. Read John 11. If you believe what will you see? (John 11:40)
2. Pick a day in your life this week, just like we did in this devotional and write down when you wake up, what you did, what you ate, what conversations you had, etc. and then that evening before bed define out all the ways that seemed right to you and ask God to review each way you chose and then listen for His response over the next few days.