Words of Life: An Enduring Legacyનમૂનો

Legacy: fruit that will last.

As a family, we love to visit the London’s many free museums and galleries which are packed with treasures and artefacts from past eras that offer us a glimpse into the way of life, priorities and values of previous generations, sometimes from thousands of years ago. It got me thinking: what are we doing today that will be displayed in museum cabinets centuries from now?

‘Legacy’ is a concept that sometimes has historical connotations that cause us to look into the past and yet, really, legacy is about tomorrow’s history. Legacy is about what begins today and lasts into the future. This is an idea at the heart of today’s text, taken from the ‘Farewell Discourse’ found in John chapters 14–17. These chapters recall Jesus instructing his disciples on how they will continue the work that he has already begun. We’ll be exploring these chapters further in the coming days as we consider legacy. Then, we will unpack what kind of legacy John’s Gospel as a whole might motivate us to leave to future generations.

The good news is that Jesus himself has appointed his disciples to leave a legacy to ‘bear fruit that will last’. The work that we engage in today in the communities around the world, in offices, in schools, in corps, in hospitals, in fields, both inside and outside our service within The Salvation Army, can have enduring significance beyond today’s 24 hours. What we do today – appointed by Jesus, offered to the Father and done in the power of the Spirit – can have eternal significance: that’s a legacy.

Consider this: What is God asking me to do today that will still matter tomorrow?