To us, what we desire to last and shine throughout the passage of time isn’t a building built, land acquired, or money given away, but something that truly endures. I have shared over the years about leaving a legacy, something that is passed on—and I am not exclusively speaking materially—to someone else that endures long after we are gone. I have also shared about a special place which has immeasurable meaning, purpose, and is even sacred to me due to not just the personal connection but even a spiritual one. And with those thoughts in mind, we all—perhaps more so in a man’s mind—want something that testifies (speaking specifically of myself as an example in this statement) that, ‘’Robert Williams was here” and because of that we would like to think that we will be remembered long after we are gone. That saying our name brings a sense of patriotism, duty, love, faithfulness, dedication, at least a smile, etc., etc., etc.
However a couple of verses that I read yesterday morning during prayer time, which I’ve read countless of times over the years, really gave me pause and has pressed upon my mind. What of it all? Thinking soberly, we are not that truly important. The beginning of the book of Exodus remarks that after Joseph died, Egypt eventually forgot what he/God did to not only save their nation but another eventual nation from starvation (and other things). William Carey, founder of modern missions, today is rarely remembered (excluding statues or buildings dedicated to him) other than quotes and what he did for a sermon point. John Wesley, who created the Methodist church through the Lord’s help in countless of ways, would literally be spinning in his grave if he knew what that ministry movement has done lately and become today. Speaking very candidly and for me personally, 164 acres of nearly useless land except to cows was my grandparents’ home of 50 years, and four years ago was sold and split giving my parents 64 acres of it, with my sworn promise (excluding what my brother had already said) will never be sold off with a vow of “over my dead body” is literally a half a generation to a generation away from being someone else’s who won’t even know of the name Corzette, let alone Williams. Despite my fond memories and sentimental meaning to me and other specific family members, that perhaps after I am gone will mean nothing to anyone else except an annoyance or an inconvenience to finally part ways with. Wayman Mitchell, the founder of our Fellowship, in a number of years after his son Greg is with the Lord may be remembered for nothing more than a movement that may continue on by the grace of God through a large host of men of God, but with every movement may eventually deviate or shift from the original vision in the passage of decades to come. Abraham Lincoln who was plagued by not only assassination attempts/plans but a nation that was fractured desperately wanted to see a nation healed and united and he tried. And today after 150 plus years, we are very divided by politics, gender, race, and ideology. The point is that we also desire or dream of what we deposit, bequeath, or be remembered will endure long after we are gone with the same meaning, purpose, or passion we all had.
And so enters Psalm 49:11-12 AMP (for the sake of this writing will focus solely on these verses to omit the contextual meaning of the verses surrounding them), “Their inward thought is that their houses will continue forever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands their own [apart from God] and after their own names. But man, with all his honor and pomp, does not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.” Other places in the Bible grant us this sobering reality check (not an exhaustive list, but a number of examples). “Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; certainly every man at his best state is but vapor,” Psalm 39:5. Psalm 62:9, “Surely men of low degree are a vapor, men of high degree are a lie; if they are weighed on the scales, they are altogether lighter than vapor.” And James 4:13-16 says, “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’ But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.”
This doesn’t give us an excuse to just throw our hands up in the air, never accomplish anything to declare all is vanity, and pass on nothing to anyone. That not only is selfish and lazy in the sight of man, but that is also selfish and lazy in the sight of God. I, though, must confess that those words from Psalm 49 pricked my heart given what month we are in and the events that occurred at and not too long after the sale of the farm with the concern of everything that was my grandparents—their words, their deeds, their lifestyle choices, their commitments, and even despite hard and harsh that buried was love—may be forgotten…perhaps forever. And then what of me? Outside of a bloodline of a Williams who married a Jozwiak, who (on my side) are Corzettes, Williams, Neeley, Pike, McGlothlin, Rose, Cosgrove, Timmons, etc., may be nothing left but a few Williams on the west coast, North Dakota, wherever my son settles, a McGlothlin or two, and a few Corzettes after I am gone.
(What of the rapture and why would any of this matter? Albeit in God’s presence it really won’t matter in heaven with heaven is concerned…But here in earth, what will there be a reference marker associated to my/our (your name included) name that tells others after us “if you want to know Jesus, he/she knew”. Further, despite the Rapture will be a reality, there are 100,000+ who die every day...so being selfish to focus on the Rapture and "forget everyone else" is also selfish.)
And while musing all the above during prayer and afterwards off and on throughout yesterday and involving God to understand why make those verses in Psalm 49 stand out specifically, a couple of verses that initially appear incongruent were suggested to me by God to take me (my thoughts) down another path. Romans 12:1 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” And then Paul pursues a mental picture of a track event to say (in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27), “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” For the moment, let us ignore this portion from 1 Corinthians 9 speaks of heaven or arriving to heaven. When we tie these two portions of scripture in with the understanding of how pitiful our lives can be for building our name and/or our kingdom with our name etched or emblazoned on something, let us understand that in order for our lives to be a sacrifice (a living sacrifice) it is a life given up for someone else. True and 99.999999% yes to Jesus. But granting me a slight little bit of freedom, I would like to say (for the sake of this writing) that our lives serve as a living sacrifice or a living testimony of someone who (in a positive direction) lived for Jesus even if things may not always worked out he/she remained faithful to the very end and constrastly someone who didn’t went down a path and others see it either follow that path of futility or learn a lesson or go down the right path. I mean, why deliberately or carelessly run our lane of a race (our path of life) that not only disqualifies ourselves but causes others to stumble or not be granted knowledge, a choice, and a proper way to life (eternal/everlasting). And so why live a life that after we pass, our life (our purpose, our legacy) is no different than the passing of a dog or horse.
So our primary verse serves as a reality check (or a focusing of the laser so to speak) but also as a harbinger that life doesn’t have to conclude that way. Instead of our priorities being material possessions to rust or be sold off and certainly eventually forgotten, may our lives as a living testimony/sacrifice help another on our path…even if our fellow travelling may not venture down our path a generation or two after us. I’ve heard and probably shared this poem before but feel it applies here. “’My dear friend, as you are now so once was I. As I am now, you too will be. So be prepared to follow me.’ But someone had written a response to that epitaph and taped it to the headstone: ‘To follow you I’m not content, until I know which way you went.’” To that end, here is a line of another by one of my favorite missionaries CT Studd, “only one life, twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.” What we have is not just handing down, but what trails are we walking? Perhaps more needed, what trails are we carving? Careful, someone will follow.