Could've, Would've, Should've

Scripture

"And he did right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. Only the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. And the Lord struck the king, so that he was a leper to the day of his death..." (2 Kings 15:3-5)

Observation

Uzziah was just sixteen years old when he became king. He reigned 52 years and "did right in the sight of the Lord" (2 Kings 15:2). If his life story ended there, he would have been remembered as "Uzziah; a great king who followed the Lord fully," a great epitaph for anyone's final resting place.

However, his life didn't end on such a high note. Instead, this great king went from hero to zero in 6.6 seconds flat, all because of compromise which he tolerated in the final years of his life. And the irony of it all is seen in how he is best remembered; more for his failure than for his accomplishments. Rather than an epitaph of honor, his reflected a life that could have been: "Here lies Uzziah; a great king who followed the Lord fully, but..."

Application

The same can be said of many who tolerate compromise in their lives. Rather than resolving issues, they allow it go unresolved, especially as it relates to the ways of God. And in so doing, they live a life of "could've, would've, should've."

• He was a loving father, but...;
• He loved his wife, but...;
• He sacrificed so much for the Lord, but...;
• He was a great leader, but...;

We can be so close, yet relegate ourselves to a position so far from where God would have preferred us to stand in relation to Him. In what we should have done, or could have done, we tolerate compromise instead. The Lord will not tolerate compromise in our lives. If we don't resolve the resolvable, He will do so for us; but, we must be willing to accept the consequences. It's our choice.

I spent yesterday visiting three people who have been unwell, two in their homes and one in the hospital. I came away inspired with every visit. These people were resilient. Two of them were in their eighties and both carried with them an uncompromising, tenacious faith in the Lord. They were pressing in to make use of their circumstances to glorify the Lord and make His Name great. They were desirous to walk in His will and they showed not one hint of a compromised faith or walk with the Lord.

You and I may not have had a choice how our life began, but we can choose how we want our life to end. And we cannot afford to tolerate compromise in the life we have yet to live.

Prayer

Father, may my life be completely devoted to you; let it begin today; let it begin with these circumstances you are placing in my life.