Will you regret it?

60 Minutes ran a story about Bill Romanowski, the NFL linebacker who played mean, vicious football for 16 seasons with four different teams. Romo was not a nice man and for a long time was proud of that fact. He fueled his on field performance with rage and $millions of pills, legal and illegal. Now, 40 years of age, with brain damage caused by repeated concussions sustained in hard hits on the field, he weeps at the memory of what he was willing to do to keep his job and to hear the fans chant, "Romo, Romo, Romo," when he took the field. His most painful memory, however, is stated in his own words - “The embarrassment to my family, and friends, to teammates, team owners and the league, that hurt. And ultimately a little boy that looks up to his dad, and he said, ‘Dad, do you do drugs?’ And that one hurt me more than anything,” (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/10/13/60minutes/main941102_page2.shtml) Romanowski says that if he had not taken up professional football, he would have been a dairy farmer! I hope that he has another 40 years on this earth to life a different kind of life that isn't about hurting opponents and abusing his body.

I want to put a couple of hard questions to us today.
They are not pleasant questions and many of you may stop reading this TFTD, disturbed at me for even asking them, but here goes...

• Can you project your thoughts into the future, 10 years, 20 years down the road of life, asking yourself - "Will I be full of regret?"
• What kind of legacy are you creating and how would you be remembered if God called you into eternity today?
  

Jesus puts the question to us like this: "how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul in the process? Is anything worth more than your soul?" (Matthew 16:26, NLT) Jesus not so gently is telling us that there is a way to live that can bring us all the earthly rewards we want but the cost of getting those things is our life! No, not our physical life, but rather our spiritual life - our eternal life. There are all kinds of soul poison available to us.

The love of money is chosen by millions of Americans. The glitter of wealth tempts us to sell our self-respect, to sacrifice our families. The Bible holds out this wisdom -'the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.' (1 Tim. 6.10) Drink from that cup and there will a day when you weep with regret over years wasted. "Going down that path, some lose their footing in the faith completely and live to regret it bitterly ever after. " (1 Timothy 6:10, The Message)

The worship of the body captivates millions of us. We spend inordinate amounts of time and money in a desperate attempt to hold onto the beauty of youth, valuing firm muscles and sensual beauty above all things. The underlying myth is that sexuality is the name of the game, the meaning of life. Entire industries are devoted to creating the illusion of immortality for us. This poison tastes sweet for a time, but the aftertaste is bitterness beyond imagining.

The lure of fame and/or influence is the cup chosen by some. To gain power they will trample on anyone in their way. They will exploit those who can advance them and then discard these 'friends' when they are no longer useful. The poison of power is so corrosive, it eats away the heart of those who seek it.

God makes an offer that we should not refuse.

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. " (Isaiah 55:1-3, NIV)

Choose life for your soul today! Walk with God, in the light of His love and with the wisdom of the Spirit.
It's the road of no regret, that leads to a life that has no end. Yes, we will die, but if we have lived in the Spirit here and now,
our death is only a transition into the life that is really life!
___________________

"Lord God, I come to You today to confess that I live in a world that offers me many things that part of me wants to own.
I am torn by temptation when offered the cup of money, sensuality, or power. Their lure is strong for me.

I ask for Spirit-enabled eyes that see beyond tomorrow, for vision that allows me to choose the road of long obedience that leads to life that is really life.

Let me drink deeply from the cup of life, to be satisfied and filled with the rich food found at Your table.
I pray this in the Name of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen."