How Will You Be Remembered?

Today’s Passage – 2 Chronicles 21 – 24

Second Milers also read – Acts 20 – 22; Psalms 106 – 110; Proverbs 22

Scripture Memory for May – Psalm 51

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 92:1 – 4

Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.(2Chronicles 21:20)

This verse is perhaps one of the saddest verses in all of the Bible.  Here we see the life of Jehoram, a king of Judah: the son of  Jehoshaphat, a great king.  The verse tells us that when he died he was not desired: nobody wanted him.  How sad it is that a person with so much opportunity for good; so much opportunity to impact his nation, would die without being desired.  Why did this happen?  What would cause this man to be so evil; so different from his father, who was loved and desired by all?  Believe it or not, I think the blame belongs to his father.  His father, though a great man himself, was not  a separated man.  Though he loved God, he was very close and friendly to others who hated God.  He got so close that he actually allowed his son, Jehoram to marry one of wicked King Ahab’s daughters.  The Bible tells us that after the death of Jehoshaphat, Ahab’s family became the counsellors of Jehoram.  His father followed God; but the son chose to follow evil.

Parents, please be very careful about what and who you allow to get close to your children.  Though you as parents may be strong enough to stand in a wicked environment, your children may not be; and may succumb to the wickedness around them.  Live a separated life.  Don’t allow the things of this world; or ungodly people to be an influence to your family.

My life will not be judged merely by my own conduct.  People will also judge me by whether or not my children walk with God, and serve their generation.  I want my kids to be better than I am.  I want them to have more love and compassion for their fellow man than I ever could.  I want them to be desired.

When you die, will you leave here without being desired?  Or will people miss you?  Will they grieve for the void that will be there because of your parting? This life is not about you; it’s not about me.  It is about glorifying God; and serving our generation; and then training and teaching our children to serve their generation.