SCRIPTURE: 1 Chronicles 10
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Saul groaned to his armour bearer, “Take your sword and kill me before these pagan Philistines come to taunt and torture me.” But his armour bearer was afraid and would not do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it… So Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord. He failed to obey the Lord’s command, and he even consulted a medium instead of asking the Lord for guidance. [1 Chronicles 10:4, 13-14]
The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him.” [Luke 22:22]
So Judas … went away and hanged himself. [Matthew 27:5]
Two lives that began with such promise, yet ended so poorly.
For both Saul and Judas, they might have said: ‘at the time it seemed such a good idea’.
They serve as examples to all of us, of what happens when we try to go life on our own, without God.

We were made to breathe air; without it we will die.
We were made to experience gravity; defy it and we will die.
We were made to live in, with and for God; apart from God we will die.
This is not God’s way of punishing us, it is the natural consequence of not keeping God and His will at the center of our lives.

You can think of many examples, I am sure, of people who began life with so much potential, yet wasted away because of foolish choices, reckless living.
Had they recognized God’s place and purpose in their lives, had they honoured God’s laws and lived according to God’s design, they would have ended much better.
This is how God designed things to be; but in this world we see people rejecting God and His way… and the world we have is the result.
So many lives ruined, so many people despairing, so many victims of cruelty and folly, so many wars and criminals and tragedies.

We were made to live in, with and for God.
One day we will all realize it!

PRAYER:
Lord, apart from You I can do nothing. Help me to remain in You!