By Pastor Bob DeKlavon
I think of the words ‘no regrets’ and two different thoughts come to mind.
The first relates to a very sad testimony of a king of Judah.
The story of the king is bad enough in itself but it is amplified by the one who was his father.
Jehoram was the evil king who was the son of Jehoshaphat.
Jehoshaphat walked in the way of the LORD.
It is he of whom I wrote yesterday that he sought the LORD in a tough time.
His testimony is given in 2 Chronicles 20:33:
“And he walked in the way of his father Asa and
did not depart from it, doing right in the sight of the LORD.”
To find one king of Israel who was righteous was amazing—two in a row was incredible.
But then…there was Jehoram.
Here was his legacy:
He killed his brothers and some of the rulers of Israel.
“He did evil in the sight of the LORD.” {1 Chronicles 21:6}.
“He made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot and led Judah astray.” {21:11}.
Finally, the LORD had enough of him.
Elijah the prophet writes to tell him that his family will die.
The king himself will die from an excruciating illness {you will have to look to see what it was}.
He did die and here is the statement that haunts me every time I read it:
“He departed with no one’s regret.” {21:20}.
Think about that—no one missed him.
What a wasted life.
What a sad testimony, especially in light of the heritage given to him.
I think about my life and, of course, you as well in the midst of the time in which we live.
Things have certainly changed—but the opportunities for serving Jesus have not.
The second way I think about ‘no regrets’ is living a life that is filled to the full for Jesus.
When God calls me home, I want to have no regrets when it comes to my faithfulness.
I want to hear ‘well done’ and be able to say like Paul:
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.” {2 Tim. 4:7}.
Which paraphrased means: “I have no regrets.”