HE KISSED HIS DESTINY GOODBYE

 Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power. Unstable as water, you shall not EXCEL; because you went up to your father’s bed; you defile it; he went up to my couch. 

Genesis 49:3-4

His story would have been different were it not for the fact that he lacked self-control. His future would have been colourful if he had not crossed his boundary. His destiny would have been glorious if he had not taken the forbidden path. He wouldn't have gone into oblivion if he had not eaten the forbidden fruit. He wouldn't have merely existed if he had not allowed his passion to determine his direction. He wouldn't have quit this existence without setting the Thames on fire if he had not encroached upon his father’s conjugal right. He would have operated on the platform of excellence and dignity in life if he had taken the long view when his emotion got the better of him. He would have been an eternal Excellency and a joy of many generations had he not pandered to inordinate desires (Isaiah 60:15).

He would have become a beacon lighting the course for others to follow if he had not yielded to the passing whims of the flesh. He would have ridden on the crest of the waves if he had thought twice about giving in to his lust. Those whose destinies were inextricably linked with his would have been in his debt forever if he had not exceeded the limit of divine permission. He would have made an indelible impression on his and subsequent generations if he had not given vent to his pent-up passion. He would have stood head and shoulders above his contemporaries if he had not allowed “erection” to decide the course of his life. He would not have been among the run -of- the- mill if he had looked before he leapt when faced with the opportunity to prove his sexual prowess. He would have held the spotlight in his days if he had lived within the bound of moral decency. He would have left a footprint on the sand of time if he had not taken liberty for a license. He would have GONE FAR IN LIFE if he had not GONE TOO FAR. He wouldn't have taken a backseat in life if he had not thrown caution to the wind as result of sexual arousal.

Reuben (the firstborn of Jacob) overstepped his bounds and, in a matter of seconds, kissed his destiny goodbye. He ate the forbidden fruit and so had his name crossed off the list of those scheduled to positively influence the flow of history. He swum with the tide of sexual immorality and so got knocked off his pedestal. He sacrificed the place of prominence (position and privileges of the firstborn) in life on the altar of momentary pleasures. He went too far and so had his destiny put under lock and key. By the time he came to his senses, it was already water under the bridge. I can imagine his father saying to him, as he probably pleaded for pardon: “There is no use crying over spilt milk”. It is no use trying to lock the stable door after the horse had bolted. A one-night stand overshadowed his future and turned his life upside down. Just a night of passion took the gilt off the gingerbread of his destiny. Can you see the REWARD of sexual immorality? What a risky game it is!

If there is anything you need to avoid like the plague; if there is anything you need to give a wide berth; if there is anything you need to say NO to, it is sexual sin. This is not my opinion but what the Word of God says (2 Timothy 2:22, 1 Corinthians 6:18, Genesis 39:12). It is a sin that leaves a nasty taste in the mouth. It is a sin that can detract from the beauty of one’s life if indulged in. It reduced Reuben to the equivalent of a piece of bread (Prov.6:26). It set the stage for the untimely and ignominious exit of Samson in the Bible from the theatrical stage of life. If you are Indulging in illicit sex, ask God to forgive you and invite Jesus into your life. There are no two ways about it. Give it a wide berth so you don’t kiss your destiny goodbye!