Legacy - By John Boyanowski “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. John 17:6 – 9; ESV leg•a•cy \ˈle-gə-sē\ noun 2 : something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past 〈the legacy of the ancient philosophers〉Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary; Tenth Edition Legacy. Everyone wants to leave a good one behind. Everyone wants to be remembered for their best. And everyone wants that best to continue. Some legacies span the generations past; leaving a remarkable heritage of honor and pride. I think about those who serve currently or have served in the past in our nation’s Armed Forces. If you look in their past, it would not surprise you to see that their family members have also served. And although I have never served, my family has in the past and my daughter serves currently. With the importance of legacy, it does surprise me that many today do not think more about it unless they are middle-aged or older; unless the threat of dying comes into play. Is that because of immaturity or is it the fact that people believe to feel they are too young to worry about it? Maybe I am a strange brew, but I have been thinking about it and pondering it for several decades now. I think about what I want my legacy portfolio to look like. Here are the things I want within the things I leave behind: • The legacy of Christ in the family – I want my family to love God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit even more than I do. I want them each to know them personally and intimately. • I want to leave behind writings that matter – I hope my writings will bring others closer to God and to one another. I want my writings to matter and to serve a purpose. • To leave a legacy of love – We need more of this in the world and in our lives. • Humor – I hope I was able to make people laugh and enjoy life. If I am able to accomplish any of these, I am a happy and blessed man. Money, fame, power – none of these matter in the end. What matters is not measured in material or positions; what matters is what love, joy and restoration you are able to accomplish in your lifetime. In the passage provided, we see Jesus praying before He is placed on trial and put to death. I encourage you to read the entire chapter and study in depth the beauty of Jesus’ prayer. Listen to the way He recaps His life of servant hood, the mantle He leaves in the Disciples, and (later on in the chapter) how He prays for you and me. I hope that when it comes my time to die that I can declare the same in those whom God has entrusted me with. But, in order for me to do this, I must do as Christ did – live out the legacy while I am alive. It is the life lived that gets remembered. It is the life that refuses to give in that rises about the chaos. And it is the life serving others that ignites passion to serve. Because of what I had seen in my brother David when I was young, I desired Christ. Now that I am older, I pray that others will desire Christ because of me. It has nothing to do with me, but everything to do with Christ. As Jesus brought glory unto the Father, so my I bring glory unto Jesus. Legacy. How important is it for you? What will yours look like? If you take the example from Jesus’ life, your legacy will be one of honor. Father God, Please help me to leave a legacy worthy of bringing You honor and glory. Allow me to leave a desire to know You more intimately and to love You more deeply. May others see in You what I see; a God whose love never ends, a Savior who never gives up on us, and a Spirit that reaches out to a world in need. Allow my life to matter. Let me bring others into a relationship with You. Let my legacy be found in You alone. And my I find favor in Your eyes. As for those who will come after me, make then like the Disciples, who took what they learned from Your Son and changed the world. Let my descendants change the world around them for the better. Give them a sense of servant hood towards Your will. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 00:32:22 +0000