Monday, October 3
Legacy
Scripture: Isaiah 65-66, Psalm 115, Matthew 15
Isaiah 66:22
“For just as the new heavens and the new earth,
which I will make,
will remain before me”—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
“so your offspring and your name will remain.
Observation
Isaiah’s majestic book of prophecy ends with the promise of Israel’s restoration and a renewed creation.
Isaiah 65:17 “For I will create new heavens and a new earth.”
God promises that His people will remain in the new creation. “Your offspring and your name will remain.” We will live on in God’s new creation, and not be forgotten.
Application
As we age, we begin to think about legacy. What will I leave behind? How will I be remembered? So this verse jumped out at me. Because I follow Jesus, as God’s child, my offspring and name will remain in the new creation.
My name: I will be known and remembered where it matters! In God’s new creation, each of us who follow Jesus will be known and remembered—our legacy lives on.
My offspring: I took this to mean my literal offspring—kids, grandkids, greats and on and on—and my spiritual offspring: those I’ve helped to find and follow Jesus. So I want to prioritize my spiritual influence—help as many people find and follow Jesus as I can. That’s what lasts!
A few months ago I was talking with a friend who was bemoaning the fact that we live and are so quickly forgotten. That subject came up again last week with another set of friends. None of us knew the names of our forebears past our grandparents; great grandparents and beyond were all lost to us. We are so quickly forgotten—here. All our earthly accomplishments fade from memory and for the vast majority of us, we will fade from memory too. Forgotten.
But in the new creation, we will live on and be known. This is our legacy.
Prayer: Today Lord, help me to invest in what lasts and build a legacy!