A Living Legacy

Everyday we watch adverts about leaving a lasting legacy for your loved ones after you have passed away. Most of these adverts are talking about money. For all of us, this is important but also is creating lasting memories so we take photos, send cards, buy gifts, etc. But what about leaving a LIVING LEGACY behind?

I had my Bible open trying to find something to write about this month - too many options! Paging through it, I realised that my Bible contains probably just as many memories as my albums and journals. Notes made next to Scriptures, highlighted verses, lose note references, bookmarks made by my child, thank you notes, etc and then it dawned on me.

One of the things I pray for is that my child gets to know and have a personal relationship with God, grows up walking the path He has laid and feel eternal joy in His love and grace. I also want my  child to be able to find comforting answers and stories when facing issues in their life, especially when I have passed on one day.

It dawned on me that, yes, I want part of my legacy to be that my child has money to survive and cover any costs but as we all know, even money doesn't last and runs out eventually. However, I can leave a LIVING LEGACY behind for my child - my BIBLE - GOD'S WORD.

Together with God's word, I leave memories that can help my child live a wonderful life, see that I also learnt lessons and that she could learn from God and I in one instance. My child can read and page through my Bible knowing that Mom also faced issues and wrestled with God and also laughed and smiled with the same words.

The Bible was written so we could know how God's wants us to live, love and learn. He left the Bible as His LIVING LEGACY for us. So how awesome is it that we can do the same for our children. Many, many years ago, families would pass on family Bibles to their children. Family trees were written in there so their children knew where they came from and I am sure notes were written in them too. Who wouldn't want to know what Crazy Aunt Dot was thinking and feeling?

How comforting it could feel to know that one of your most treasured items will become a LIVING memory for the ones you leave behind.  Those same pages that you cried over, smiled over and read will fill their souls, give them comfort while allowing God to embrace them with His word.

"All Scripture is given by God and is useful for teaching, for showing people what is wrong in their lives, for correcting faults, and for teaching how to live right."

2 Timothy 3:16

What do you want your LIVING LEGACY to be?