Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Proverbs 10:6-10 Thanks for the memories!

Blessings crown the head of the righteous,

    but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.   

The memory of the righteous will be a blessing,

    but the name of the wicked will rot.   

The wise in heart accept commands,

    but a chattering fool comes to ruin.   

The man of integrity walks securely,

    but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.   

He who winks maliciously causes grief,

    and a chattering fool comes to ruin. (vs.6-10)

There is so much to think about in these five verses, but the second one, verse 7, especially speaks to me this morning. Those who are righteous leave a legacy of sweet memories. A dear co-worker, Cynthia, who joins us here every morning, lost her precious father last week after a long struggle with cancer. Cynthia was very close to her dad, and is finding comfort in her memories of special times with him. Her whole family was with him as he stepped into eternity. They knew he was immediately with Jesus, and so the pain was tempered with the assurance that they will see him again. Even though, like all parents, her father was not a perfect man, he left her with the blessing of sweet memories.

I did not know my paternal grandmother well. I rarely saw her growing up, and she died when I was 11 years old. However, she was such a godly woman, and my memories of her are of a very peaceful and sweet woman. She loved the LORD with all of her heart, and she faithfully prayed for her family members to come to Him. Memories (the few I have) of Grammy Frost are a blessing. She left a legacy of prayer that continues to bless our family today, down to her great, great-grandchildren.

I want my children and grandchildren to remember that I lived by faith, trusting God in all circumstances. That will only happen if I actually live that out before them! They need to see and hear me demonstrate my dependence upon God to meet my every need, to strengthen me when I’m weak. I have to allow Him to transform me from the inside out and I need to be authentic before them.

I’m watching my sister, Jodi, doing that right now. She recently found out that, after her second stem-cell infusion, her multiple myeloma is rearing its ugly head again. For the past two years, all of us who love her have been stunned, but amazed to watch her face and struggle through the sudden loss of her youngest son, Justin, while fighting cancer. She has been in and out of the hospital through two summers, constantly battling illness with her weakened immune system, all while trying to deal with overwhelming grief. Yet, Jodi has been strengthened internally. She has a peace and a joy that cannot be shaken. Even though she is down to her junior high school weight, she is a powerful witness to the faithfulness of God.

There is so much more in the other verses, but today I’m thinking about the blessing of a righteous life.  If you have a story to share about someone who is living out a righteous life before you right now or the memory of a lost one who left blessed memories for you, leave a comment for us. And, would you join me in praying for Cynthia and her family, especially her mother, Mary, as they adjust to life without Cynthia’s father? And would you please continue to pray for my dear sister and her precious husband, Ed? Pray for healing, strengthening, and protection for them. Please pray, specifically, that her body would continue to fight and win the victory over this enemy, cancer. To God be the glory!
 

1 comment:

  1. I referenced this post at
    http://proverbsclub.com/blog/blessings-or-violence-106/
    Terry

    ReplyDelete