How You Finish Matters

There was a king in 2 Chronicles 26 named Uzziah.  His story is kind of crazy.  He became king at 16, but he tried his best to follow God.  He worshipped God, and took advice from the priests on what to do.  He became a great soldier, ruler, and king.  His fame spread throughout that part of the world, and the kingdom grew.  He was a military inventor, designing new weapons, and a great strategist.  As long as he followed God, he was used in amazing ways.


But then, in it says in verse 16 "But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God"


There it is.  Uzziah eventually believes its all about him and God together.  He gets cocky.  As a result, he gets leprosy, and is not allowed to live in the castle anymore, and his son has to rule.  So, he's king, with no power.  


I so don't want to be that guy.  He had all the outward signs of still being what God made him to be, but he was useless because of his sin.  I really don't want that to happen to me.  I want to be the one who stays close to God, who sees God in charge of their life, who finishes as well as he starts.  Uzziah got to be king for 52 years.  That was unheard of in a day and age when kings lasted five to ten years.  But he lost his way.


May you and I always stay humble before God, and on track so that we can finish well.