Let Him Who Thinks He Stands...

For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea;  and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;  and all ate the same spiritual food;  and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness.

 Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.”  Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents.  Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.  

1 Corinthians 10:1-12

As I began to think about this, there are times in your life when you become aware that your life is a vapor. I know that I want to finish well and pleasing to the Lord. 

For the prodigal son, the pig trough was a place that he had ended up where he realized he had wasted his life. That journey to the pig trough didn't happen overnight. It started with discontent in his heart about his situation. That discontent was the first step toward the pig trough. Satan is crafty and subtle in leading us off of the path of life. Paul told the Corinthian church...

But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 

2 Corinthians 11:3

Paul points out here that the serpent is crafty! He doesn't say, "Hey, today I'm going to deceive you!" It's subtle over time that you can be led astray as you run from work to home and hurdle to hurdle. We are so busy that we miss the signs as we leave the path and begin the journey to the pig trough.

If you find yourself in this place today, begin to cry out, "I want to finish well, so Lord help me to start by dealing with the seed of discontent." Begin to cry out to the Lord in thanksgiving and for grace to help you stand. 

 Listen folks, you don't have to go to the pig trough. You don't have to come to the place of public exposure and humiliation. You can deal with discontent and sin one on one with the Father before it brings destruction to your life. 

The prodigal didn't realize how good he had it until he was at the pig trough and had lost everything. If you already find yourself there, return to the Father in repentance and you will find He is rich in mercy.  

 Lord help us submit to our trials and let them have their work in us. Let us love you with all our heart and love our neighbor as ourselves. Help us to cast aside discontentment and begin anew with a grateful heart of thanksgiving. Lord this life is just a vanishing vapor, help us to finish well. In Jesus name, Amen.