"A Wasted Life" July 2 Readings: 2 Chronicles 21-22, Acts 7:1–18, Psalm 78:40–46, Proverbs 16:17–19

  

Reading the Bible in 2025

Each day this year, we will read a selection from the Old Testament, the New Testament, a portion of the Psalms, and part of Proverbs. By the end of the year, you will have read the entire Bible. We read this way to give you a bit of variety. 

NOTE: If you get behind, do not give up. Read today's readings and try to catch up when you have a chance. The goal is not to "accomplish a task" but to meet God in his word. Read the word. Also, if you are short on time, READ GOD'S WORD and skip my devotional!

Bible Readings: 2 Chronicles 21-22, Acts 7:1–18, Psalm 78:40–46, Proverbs 16:17–19

    Scriptures linked to Bible Gateway in ESV version 

Daily Devotional: A Wasted Life

Have you ever thought about what you want on your tombstone? Is there some brief, pithy statement that encapsulates your life? People want their lives to matter, their obituaries to be meaningful, and their tombstones to be significant.

Ecclesiastes tells us that God has put eternity in our hearts. We have a deep, inborn, innate desire for our lives to matter, to do something that makes a difference, so that when we are gone, we will be remembered and that the impact and effect on our lives will continue.

All too often, our desire for eternal significance is squandered by our devotion to the things of this world - materialism, self-centeredness, lust, devotion to pleasure - or our lives of unholiness and sin. There are many, even among the redeemed, who fail to live their lives for the glory of God.

There is a troublesome verse in 2 Chronicles 21:20, concerning the death of King Jehoram of Judah, the son of Jehoshaphat. His father was a very good king who made an unfortunate alliance with the evil King Ahab of Israel. He even allowed his son to marry Ahab's daughter. To no one's surprise, Jehoram followed the ways of the kings of Israel and did not serve Yahweh as his own father had. After 8 years as king, he died. Here is what was said of him.

He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he departed with no one's regret. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

Wow. He died "with no one's regret." Jehoram was an evil king who did evil things and when he was gone, it was to "no one's regret." No one cared. They were glad he was gone. His life was wasted. 

Jehoram was an extreme case, of course, and usually, even the most pointless life is met with someone's regret. But we must invest our lives in eternal things so that they will leave a lasting legacy of spiritual effect. 

When my dad died in 2020, I received calls and messages from all over the country telling me what a difference he made in people's lives. He led people to Christ and helped them grow in Christ by helping them know God's word. He made a difference. His life was not wasted. 

That is the kind of life I want. I don't much care what is on my tombstone, but I want my life to impact others who will carry on the work of Christ when I am gone. 

Father, may my life be used for your glory and the purposes of your eternal kingdom!

Consider God's Word:

Which of these four passages spoke most clearly to you today? 

Is there sin in your life that needs to be confessed and dealt with that was revealed in one of these passages? 

Is there something in your life that needs to change?

Is there a struggle in your life that one of these passages spoke to? 

If they wrote an obituary about you today, what would it say?
Would it speak of the eternal, significant, Christ-honoring aspects of your life?
We ought not to live morbidly, but we ought to constantly remind ourselves that this world is temporary and eternity awaits.