How Do You Want To Be Remembered?

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones.”
Psalm 116:15

Perhaps this is a little morbid, but I sometimes wonder, “If I died right now, what would people remember about me and say of me at my funeral?”

(Does anyone else ever ask themselves this question?!?)

- Would they remember that I complained a lot?

-Would they remember my disrespectful attitude?

-Would they remember my self-centered outlook on life?

That’s not what I want! But all those things are true about me...

The week before last one of my Dad’s uncles died, and his funeral was such a blessing. He was a pastor with a real heart for the sick; he and my aunt would spend hours at the hospitals, visiting and praying with the sick and their families. I know, because they often visited my grandparents when they were sick and dying.

But anyway, as I sat at his funeral listening to the minister preach and speak about the impact of Uncle Joe’s life, I thought- “That’s what I want at my funeral!” Another thing I thought of was the story of Michael Billings. Some of you may be familiar with his story, as it is set forth in the book, Life is but a Vapor: The Life and Legacy of Michael G. Billings.

As I read the aforementioned book (which I would list as one of the five most influential books I’ve ever read), I was convicted as I saw the number of people who were touched by Michael’s life, and who genuinely loved and admired him. Would people have any reason to write or speak of me the way they did of Michael Billings?

Unfortunately, the answer is no. I would not want any little girls to travel down the paths I was once on. I have many regrets from my past, as I am sure we all do.

But I want the answer to the above question to be yes. It is my desire to leave a legacy of godliness-- particularly godly womanhood, to the next generation.

Yet my heart is so prone to wander from the God I love, as the hymn says, and from His paths, as well.

Even though when I die I will never know what others will say about me, I want them to bring glory to God. And that’s what matters, I suppose. It’s not what others say about me that matters-- it’ what they say about what God did in my life!

I want to be remembered for being Christlike. But to be remembered that way, I must live that way!!!

What do you Love?

This past Sunday Mr. Bruce Rogers spoke, and it was so good, I wanted to share with everyone a little bit of what he said! His main Scripture passage was Psalm 139-

"O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it all...Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me; and lead me in the everlasting way."

I was so convicted because this went along so well with what I have been thinking on since we listened to Mr. Doug Phillips' Identity Theft cd. When we left church, one question Mr. Bruce asked was stuck in my brain, Does God loathe what we love?

This week as I meditated on Psalm 139 and thought back to those messages, I continued to ask myself, What do I delight in? What do I love? Are my priorities in life straight?

Unfortunately, too often I am like the Israelites-- I forget what the Lord has done for me, and I wander back to Egypt, in my words, attitudes, etc.

Something else that pricked my heart was when Mr. Bruce pointed out that nothing we do is hidden from the sight of God. Not even a thought is hidden from God's all-seeing eye. In fact, Scripture says that He is "intimately acquainted" with all our ways! Anytime I slip back to feminist thinking- even just in my heart- God Knows!