Legacy

23 Jun Legacy

Read 2 Kings 2:15-22

Thought for the Day: We follow the examples of Christians who came before us.

Current Patriots captain and perennial Pro-Bowler Matthew Slater was not the first in his family to play professional football. As he grew up, playing in the NFL was not an unachievable dream. Instead, it was the family business as his father Jackie played 20 seasons for the Rams and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001. But rather than taking this for granted, Matthew Slater saw that his greatest advantage came from living out the legacy of his father (what he did rather than who he was). Jackie Slater was a great lineman because he took pride in protecting his quarterbacks and outworked everyone else on and off the field. Following in these footsteps, Matthew Slater has made a career of outworking everyone else and embracing his role as a special teams virtuoso.

In the time of the Old Testament Kings, a faithful man named Elijah stood for God when his king and nation turned to idolatry. When no one else was willing to stay the course, Elijah was. His leadership kept his wayward nation from total destruction. But, like all good things, Elijah’s work serving God on earth eventually came to an end. At that point, a new leader (Elisha) took over. But, he did not settle for simply holding the position of his predecessor. Instead, Elisha lived out the legacy of Elijah and it was noticed: “Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” Elisha was not simply the new prophet of the people. Instead, like Elijah before him, Elisha followed God no matter the cost!

What about us? Think about it – each of us is living in the legacy of Christians who came before us. Do we take the time to appreciate the examples those who preceded us have given? Or, do we find ourselves simply taking these legacies for granted? Let’s realize that our lives are lived best when we follow in the footsteps of the Christians who came before us! It is a great privilege to serve God and follow Him daily!

In Christ,

Pastors Stan and David