FollowBy Dan Amos
Once again, Fran and I have been hard at work deconstructing the accumulated stuff of our parents. We have made a couple of trips across the mountains and need to make a couple more to finish preparing for sale the home of 40+ years and to move a loved one to a new state and a new living situation. We have dispersed thousands of pounds of things and collected boxes of records and memorabilia. I have taken on the task of scanning the documents to share with siblings as arrangements are made. They document the legacy of their lives and some of how they have impacted others.
Among the documents are a history of multiple life insurance policies. As I’ve thought about it, most insurance is intended to restore things to how they were before a loss occurred. A life cannot be restored by a policy; it can only soften the physical hardship for those left behind. It is a part of our legacy, what we leave behind as the evidence of our lives. Larry wrote a few weeks ago about Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the Jerusalem walls. He related the effort to Elim’s need to rebuild. The walls were the legacy of Nehemiah and the other families. Our legacies are similar in what we leave behind.
In Nehemiah 3, families are named along with the part of the walls and gates they rebuilt. That is a fairly serious passage since if a part of the wall failed, everyone would know who was responsible. Our families haven’t built any walls or gates; we’re neither captains of industry nor political leaders. But as I looked at pictures of people gathered to celebrate retirement, I saw the legacy of relationships that were built. I’ve repeated several times to my mother that her legacy is wrapped up in three children who are married and are all believers. I have three children, and they are married and are all believers. That is a legacy worth celebrating.
To make it a legacy, though, it has to be something that is passed on. It doesn’t count if it is only momentary—it has to last. In Nehemiah 9, the Israelites gathered together, confessed their sins, and heard the Book of the Law read to them. This was an act of renewing the legacy of their ancestors, hearing the history of their people and their relationship with God. They then claimed that relationship as their own, renewing the legacy we benefit from today.
As we move forward and (hopefully) welcome a new pastor and throw off the bondage of COVID, we will rebuild. Our prospective pastor, Ryan, mentioned several times the legacy of being a community of believers for 137 years. Many lives have been influenced by the ministry of Elim’s people, and if we are to leave a legacy it needs to be a strong foundation of building lives and sharing the good news of our Rock, Jesus Christ.
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