Tag: legacy
Leaving a legacy!
Scripture reading for May 11th: Nehemiah 11-13
Would you like to be remembered by God for the good works you accomplish? It would be a great honor to have God’s smiling approval recorded for all to read and know. Nehemiah is one to have this honor and his prayers for God’s approval are examples of a godly leader and their legacy!
“Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services.” Nehemiah 13:14
Nehemiah was asking to be remembered for cleansing the temple. Nehemiah threw out Tobiah the Ammonite and cleansed the room he had been given. (Nehemiah 13:1-2,7-9) Nehemiah also found that the Levites had not received their portion of the tithes and therefore had neglected the temple. He rebuked the officials who had allowed this and ordered the Levites back to work in the temple. He reminded the people to bring their tithes. Nehemiah did this because he loved the Lord’s house.
“Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this also, O my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.” Nehemiah 13:22
Nehemiah rebuked the people for doing business on the Sabbath, closed the gates, and warned those bringing goods to remove them on the Sabbath. (Nehemiah 13:12-18) He was concerned that God’s wrath would come upon the people for their disrespect of God’s commandment.
“Remember them, O my God, because they defiled the priestly office and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.” Nehemiah 13:29 “Remember me with favor, O my God.” Nehemiah 13:30b
The last recorded deed of Nehemiah was his dealing with mixed marriages in Judah and the priesthood. This greatly disturbed this man of prayer and he rebuked the offenders strongly, even beating and pulling out the hair of some of them! (Nehemiah 13:25) He made them swear not to give their daughters or allow their sons to marry outside the nation of faith. He reminded them of Solomon’s sin. Wise leaders take action! They are “remembered with favor” by the Lord! Would that be your prayer today?
Leaving a legacy–last words!
Scripture reading for April 1: 2nd Samuel 21-24
These are the last words of David: ” The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, Israel’s singer of songs: “The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me; His word was on my tongue. The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: ‘When one rules over men in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God, he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth.’ (2nd Samuel 23:1-4)
David, the shepherd boy, anointed King by the Lord, speaks prophetically under the Spirit of the Lord. His last words are inspired by the “Most High”, “God of Jacob”, “God of Israel” and “Rock of Israel”. The Bible states that no prophet speaks on his own but is moved on by the Holy Spirit. ( 2nd Peter 1:20-21) After seventy years of walking with God, he writes not so much for himself, but for those who will follow him in the walk of faith.
David left a mighty legacy for us. His Psalms are prophetic of the coming Messiah, his life, suffering and death! As a young boy, he knew God as his own Shepherd. Jesus Christ is the good Shepherd Who so cares for His sheep that He lays His own life down for them. David knew God as the “Rock of Israel”! That Rock was a firm place to stand in the trials that continually came to this man. That Rock was a source of water and refreshment in a dry and weary land as David was being pursued by his enemies. His Psalms flow with an anointing of truth and grace that make them easy reading for people from every age and generation. His last words still speak to us and encourage us to press on to meet our great “High God”!
Have you ever thought about what your ‘last words’ might be? What legacy would you like to leave for the next generations? What names might you ascribe to God in your walk of faith today?
He passed away–to no one’s regret!
Scripture reading for April 29th: 2nd Chronicles 21-25
I have officiated at many funerals. Most have been fairly well attended and most have been for people who knew the Lord and had a Christian testimony. Often there is much crying because of the great loss of that person’s life. Sorrow is normal and mourning usually goes on for several months or more. I remember attending the funeral of a famous Christian musician and songwriter. The service was three hours long and the graveside service another half-hour! This man ended well and there were lots of people who were sad that he had departed.
King Jehoram was a king of Judah who did evil in the Lord’s eyes. He married a daughter of the wicked King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. God raised up enemies who constantly caused trouble in Jehoram’s kingdom. Jehoram sought idols and built pagan shrines instead of seeking the Lord. The prophet Elijah sent him a letter that told him of his sins and the coming consequences. (2nd Chronicles 21:12-15) This letter warned that God would strike Jehoram’s family and the king himself with a wasting disease of the bowels. Jehoram was unresponsive to God’s warning.
God aroused the Philistines and Arabs, and they attacked Jerusalem and carried off all of Jehoram’s sons but the youngest. Jehoram was afflicted with the disease of the bowels and he died in great pain. There is no record that he sought the Lord or tried to find help from God. When this king died, there was no big funeral or celebration of remembrance. “He (Jehoram) passed away, to no one’s regret, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.” (2nd Chronicles 21:20b)
How are you living your life? What kind of legacy are you leaving behind in your community and family? What will people say about you and your life when you pass from the scene? More importantly, what will God say about your life? Will the only record be that you “did evil in the eyes of the Lord”? (2nd Chronicles 21:6) My prayer is that you hear “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25: 23)