For Those Desiring a Deep Christian Faith...
  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
  • Daily Meditation
  • Bible Challenge Gateway
  • Past Daily Meditations
    • 2021 Meditations
    • March Meditations
    • February Meditations >
      • February 2
      • February 4
      • February 6
      • February 8
      • February 10
      • February 12
      • February 14
      • February 16
      • February 18
      • February 20
      • February 22
      • February 24
      • February 27
    • January Meditations >
      • January 1
      • January 3
      • January 5
      • January 9
      • January 11
      • January 13
      • January 15
      • January 17
      • January 19
      • January 21
      • January 23
      • January 25
      • January 28
      • January 30
    • 2020 Meditations
    • December Meditations >
      • December 1
      • December 4
      • December 6
      • December 8
      • December 10
      • December 13
      • December 15
      • December 18
      • December 20
      • December 22
      • December 24
      • December 26
      • December 28
      • December 30
    • November Meditations >
      • November 1
      • November 3
      • November 5
      • November 7
      • November 9
      • November 11
      • November 13
      • November 16
      • November 18
      • November 20
      • November 23
      • November 25
      • November 26
      • November 28
    • October 2020 Archive
    • September 2020 Archive
    • August 2020 Archive
    • July 2020 Archive
    • June 2020 Archive
    • May 2020 Archive
    • April 2020 Archive
    • March 2020 Archive
    • February 2020 Archive
    • January 2020 Archive
    • 2019 Daily Meditations >
      • January 2019 Archive
      • February 2019 Archive
      • March 2019 Archive
      • April 2019 Archive
      • May 2019 Archive
      • June 2019 Archive
      • July 2019 Archive
      • August 2019 Archive
      • September 2019 Archive
      • October 2019 Archive
      • November 2019 Archive
      • December 2019 Archive
    • 2018 Daily Meditations >
      • December 2018 Archive
      • November 2018 Archive
      • October 2018 Archive
      • September 2018 Archive
      • August 2018 Archive
      • July 2018 Archive
      • June 2018 Archive
      • May 2018 Archive
      • April 2018 Archive
      • March 2018 Archive
      • February 2018 Archive
      • January 2018 Archive
    • 2017 Daily Meditations >
      • January 2017 Archive
      • February 2017 Archive
      • March 2017 Archive
      • April 2017 Archive
      • May 2017 Archive
      • June 2017 Archive
      • July 2017 Archive
      • August 2017 Archive
      • September 2017 Archive
      • October 2017 Archive
      • November 2017 Archive
      • December 2017 Archive
  • Standing up for God
    • Jatya
    • Archbishop Mouche
    • Pastor Andrew Brunson
    • Our Coptic Christian Friends
    • Petr Jasek
    • Gods Army
  • Faith Issues in the Modern World
    • Christians Attacked by ISIS in Mozambique
    • The Pope Changes Lord's Prayer
    • Museum of the Bible Washington DC USA
    • Persecution at All-Time High
    • Suicide Bombing in Pakistan Christian Church
    • Attack by Muslim terrorists against Egyptian Church
    • Underground Christians in China
    • More Persecution of Chinese Christians
    • The Growing Church in Iran
  • Videos for Reflection
    • Videos for Reflection 2
    • Videos for Reflection 3
    • Videos for Reflection 4
    • Videos for Reflection 5
    • Videos for Reflection 6
    • Videos for Reflection 7
    • Videos for Reflection 8
    • Videos for Reflection 9
    • Videos for Reflection 10
    • Videos for Reflection 11
    • Videos for Reflection 12
    • Videos for Reflection 13
    • Videos for Reflection 14
    • Videos for Reflection 15
    • Videos for Reflection 16
  • Video Studies
    • Video Bible Study Introduction
    • Prayer in the Bible
    • Faith Hebrews 11
  • Special Bible Studies
    • Courage in the Face of Trials
    • On Death and Dying
    • Death and Eternal Life
    • Depression
    • Family Problems
    • Food Issues
    • A Lack of Forgiveness
    • Frustration
    • Jealousy or Envy
    • Life out of Balance
    • Lying to Yourself or Others
    • Getting Married
    • Missions and Outreach
    • Prayer Life
    • Repentance
    • Sharing the Faith
    • Socialism
    • Stressed out
    • Too Hard on Yourself
  • Walls of Inspiration
    • Wall of Inspiration 1
    • Wall of Inspiration 2
    • Wall of Inspiration 3
    • Wall of Inspiration 4
    • Wall of Inspiration 5
    • Wall of Inspiration 6
    • Wall of Inspiration 7
    • Wall of Inspiration 8
    • Wall of Inspiration 9
    • Wall of Inspiration 10
    • Wall of Inspiration 11
    • Wall of Inspiration 12
    • Wall of Inspiration 13
    • Wall of Inspiration 14
    • Wall of Inspiration 15
    • Wall of Inspiration 16
    • Wall of Inspiration 17
    • Wall of Inspiration 18
    • Wall of Inspiration 19
    • Wall of Inspiration 20
    • Wall of Inspiration 21
  • Bible Helps
  • Stories of God's Power
  • Comments
  • Bible Challenge Badge Earners

November 11

“So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem), and Jacob set up a pillar over her tomb. It is the pillar of Rachel’s tomb, which is there to this day.” (Genesis 35:19–20, ESV) 
Picture
After you die, how will people remember you?  Will they know you believed in Jesus?  Will they see you as a pushy sort of religious nut?   Will they miss you?  What kind of legacy will you leave behind?

You can never know in this lifetime how people will view your life after your death.  You have to die before we find out.   You also can’t affect your legacy after you die;  you can only do it while you are yet alive.  I have met people so fearful of having a bad image after they die that they never share any negative feelings or even their own personal beliefs.  I have met Christians who cared more about the contents of the will they would leave behind than the souls that would live on afterward.  God sent you into this world for a reason.  Have you used your days to make a difference?  Will we miss you when you are gone?  Will people be glad you are no longer around?   What kind of mark will you leave on this world?

“Several years ago, I read about James Lewis Pettigru. His life was so exemplary that after his death the community erected a tombstone inscribed with these words:  UNAWED BY OPINION, UNSEDUCED BY FLATTERY, UNDISMAYED BY DISASTER, HE CONFRONTED LIFE WITH COURAGE, AND DEATH WITH CHRISTIAN HOPE.” (“Our Daily Bread”, May 29, 1995)  Pettigru was much loved.  His faith was so cherished that the community remembered his strength of Christian character even after he was gone.  

In the scripture for today, we read of Rachel’s death.  Rachel, wife of Jacob, died during childbirth.  By giving life to her son, Benjamin, she gave up her life for his.  It was a terrible time for Jacob.  To commemorate his beloved wife, Jacob “set up a pillar over her tomb” (Genesis 35:19).  The pillar was designed and built with such care that it lasted for centuries.  Genesis 35:20 even says it is “there to this day”.   Along with the pillar, living on are the stories of Jacob and Rachel in our Bible.  These have taught many generations about the origins of our faith, God’s work among the patriarchs and matriarchs of the Bible, and so much more.  It is a beautiful legacy.

Some legacies are not so beautiful.

A wealthy Christian farmer loved his work in the fields.  He cherished the land he had bought and cultivated over his long life.  As he grew into his sixties, he began to think about what would happen in the event of his death.  He wrote up a will dividing his land among his four children.  He left the house to his only daughter.  He let his family know the contents of the will.  The children stood to inherit the equivalent of a quarter million dollars each in land and assets.

When the farmer turned seventy, two of the sons made him angry.  One son had moved away and did not care to keep in touch.  He didn’t come home to help in the fields or pitch-in during the hectic harvest.  The farmer had another son who hated farming and had taken up a construction job.  Only one of the sons helped out on the farm.  The daughter helped out at the homestead with cooking and cleaning and caring for the family.   The absence of two of his children irked the farmer.  He resented their distance.  Then, at the age of seventy-four, the farmer broke his leg falling from the tractor.  His daughter and one son helped him get better.  The farmer was so bitter about the lack of help from two of the sons that he removed them from his will.  Thus began numerous family arguments and fights. 

Over the next ten years, the farmer used his will to intimidate the son and daughter who cared for him and the farm.  He constantly threatened to take their names of the will as well if they didn’t do this or that.   In his late eighties, unbeknownst to all the children, the farmer visited his lawyer and changed the will.  In the final will, the farmer gave away all his money and land to a local church he had attended for years.  He did it out of spite.  He wanted his children to be angry when they found out what he had done.  Everything the farmer did at the end was out of malice.

What was the result of the farmer’s will?  The church was sued.  The farmer’s children became terribly upset with each other.  There were threats and insults.  None of the children ever went to church again. 
What kind of legacy did this Christian farmer leave behind?  Sure, he gave a large gift to his church, but he left much resentment in his wake.  From what I’ve seen of that inheritance, it has caused more people to stop believing in God than the good it could have done.  In that community, the farmer’s name has become synonymous with how to mess up your family and church family for generations.

Jesus didn’t have land or money to leave after he died.  Instead, he left behind to all generations the beautiful gift of the gospel. He worked his whole life on a legacy of faith, sharing, love, and obedience to God the Father.   Many like me have dedicated our lives to furthering His mission, reaching out in His name.  He left quite the legacy.

Now, how about you?  Will your faith be remembered and cherished?  Because of your life and death, will people desire to know more about Jesus, or will they fight each other over your belongings?  Are you training the next generation to grow closer to God after you are gone?  Do your children worship your money more than your Lord? 
​
Be mindful of what you are leaving behind, the markers that will have meaning after you die.   Your legacy will still be speaking long after your voice grows silent in the grip of death.



click here to See november Daily Meditations
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
  • Daily Meditation
  • Bible Challenge Gateway
  • Past Daily Meditations
    • 2021 Meditations
    • March Meditations
    • February Meditations >
      • February 2
      • February 4
      • February 6
      • February 8
      • February 10
      • February 12
      • February 14
      • February 16
      • February 18
      • February 20
      • February 22
      • February 24
      • February 27
    • January Meditations >
      • January 1
      • January 3
      • January 5
      • January 9
      • January 11
      • January 13
      • January 15
      • January 17
      • January 19
      • January 21
      • January 23
      • January 25
      • January 28
      • January 30
    • 2020 Meditations
    • December Meditations >
      • December 1
      • December 4
      • December 6
      • December 8
      • December 10
      • December 13
      • December 15
      • December 18
      • December 20
      • December 22
      • December 24
      • December 26
      • December 28
      • December 30
    • November Meditations >
      • November 1
      • November 3
      • November 5
      • November 7
      • November 9
      • November 11
      • November 13
      • November 16
      • November 18
      • November 20
      • November 23
      • November 25
      • November 26
      • November 28
    • October 2020 Archive
    • September 2020 Archive
    • August 2020 Archive
    • July 2020 Archive
    • June 2020 Archive
    • May 2020 Archive
    • April 2020 Archive
    • March 2020 Archive
    • February 2020 Archive
    • January 2020 Archive
    • 2019 Daily Meditations >
      • January 2019 Archive
      • February 2019 Archive
      • March 2019 Archive
      • April 2019 Archive
      • May 2019 Archive
      • June 2019 Archive
      • July 2019 Archive
      • August 2019 Archive
      • September 2019 Archive
      • October 2019 Archive
      • November 2019 Archive
      • December 2019 Archive
    • 2018 Daily Meditations >
      • December 2018 Archive
      • November 2018 Archive
      • October 2018 Archive
      • September 2018 Archive
      • August 2018 Archive
      • July 2018 Archive
      • June 2018 Archive
      • May 2018 Archive
      • April 2018 Archive
      • March 2018 Archive
      • February 2018 Archive
      • January 2018 Archive
    • 2017 Daily Meditations >
      • January 2017 Archive
      • February 2017 Archive
      • March 2017 Archive
      • April 2017 Archive
      • May 2017 Archive
      • June 2017 Archive
      • July 2017 Archive
      • August 2017 Archive
      • September 2017 Archive
      • October 2017 Archive
      • November 2017 Archive
      • December 2017 Archive
  • Standing up for God
    • Jatya
    • Archbishop Mouche
    • Pastor Andrew Brunson
    • Our Coptic Christian Friends
    • Petr Jasek
    • Gods Army
  • Faith Issues in the Modern World
    • Christians Attacked by ISIS in Mozambique
    • The Pope Changes Lord's Prayer
    • Museum of the Bible Washington DC USA
    • Persecution at All-Time High
    • Suicide Bombing in Pakistan Christian Church
    • Attack by Muslim terrorists against Egyptian Church
    • Underground Christians in China
    • More Persecution of Chinese Christians
    • The Growing Church in Iran
  • Videos for Reflection
    • Videos for Reflection 2
    • Videos for Reflection 3
    • Videos for Reflection 4
    • Videos for Reflection 5
    • Videos for Reflection 6
    • Videos for Reflection 7
    • Videos for Reflection 8
    • Videos for Reflection 9
    • Videos for Reflection 10
    • Videos for Reflection 11
    • Videos for Reflection 12
    • Videos for Reflection 13
    • Videos for Reflection 14
    • Videos for Reflection 15
    • Videos for Reflection 16
  • Video Studies
    • Video Bible Study Introduction
    • Prayer in the Bible
    • Faith Hebrews 11
  • Special Bible Studies
    • Courage in the Face of Trials
    • On Death and Dying
    • Death and Eternal Life
    • Depression
    • Family Problems
    • Food Issues
    • A Lack of Forgiveness
    • Frustration
    • Jealousy or Envy
    • Life out of Balance
    • Lying to Yourself or Others
    • Getting Married
    • Missions and Outreach
    • Prayer Life
    • Repentance
    • Sharing the Faith
    • Socialism
    • Stressed out
    • Too Hard on Yourself
  • Walls of Inspiration
    • Wall of Inspiration 1
    • Wall of Inspiration 2
    • Wall of Inspiration 3
    • Wall of Inspiration 4
    • Wall of Inspiration 5
    • Wall of Inspiration 6
    • Wall of Inspiration 7
    • Wall of Inspiration 8
    • Wall of Inspiration 9
    • Wall of Inspiration 10
    • Wall of Inspiration 11
    • Wall of Inspiration 12
    • Wall of Inspiration 13
    • Wall of Inspiration 14
    • Wall of Inspiration 15
    • Wall of Inspiration 16
    • Wall of Inspiration 17
    • Wall of Inspiration 18
    • Wall of Inspiration 19
    • Wall of Inspiration 20
    • Wall of Inspiration 21
  • Bible Helps
  • Stories of God's Power
  • Comments
  • Bible Challenge Badge Earners