Friday, February 26: "What is Your Legacy?"
Scripture for the day: Genesis 15:4-5
New Revised Standard Version: But the word of the Lord came to him, “This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.” 5He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”
The Message (Version): Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
Sometimes God answers us so clearly and so normally, that we fail to see that God has answered. We find ourselves looking for big “burning bush” moments. God, however, uses all different ways to work in our lives.
Family is everything to those writing in Genesis. Abraham is worried about how God will provide a successor for him. He feels like his legacy and his success will have no meaning without a successor. Even with the promises of God in this chapter of what will to come, we know that Abraham still tries to take matters into his own hands.
As most of us know, the story eventually does bring a son to both Abraham and his wife Sarah and the promises are fulfilled. God will find ways to carry on your life’s work, like Abraham, if you work to be in relationship with God and let God guide you through your life.
Question: What would you like your legacy to be in either your family, your church, or your world?
I would like my family, church, and world legacy to tie together. I would like my family legacy to be to help the church grow and prosper. In turn the church goes out and helps the world per the church’s legacy. Now the worlds legacy is to help out individuals. So, you see, the legacy of each is a circle. No beginning and no end. So, to me, everyones legacy is important in this world.
The legacy I would hope to leave to my family and friends would be love, faith, generosity, and tolerance. I like what Becky had to say about interconnectedness. If I can pass on these gifts to others, then they and future generations can do the same. My personal legacy is then part of God’s hope for the world.
Legacy is so important! For Abraham and Sarah it was so focused on bloodline, but for me it’s “family of the heart.” My church family, my extended family of birth and by choice, my friends, my colleagues, and people who may not know me but might read my words… — we are all connected, and the memories and understandings that might involve me are what I hope to be my legacy. Love, compassion, faith, generosity, and a positive attitude toward the PROCESS of growing and flowering into our God-given gifts and uniqueness — put such energy into the world every day, as much as we can, and I believe it does make a difference. “Part of God’s hope for the world” — nicely said, Sandy!