Saturday, June 05, 2010

A Harsh Epitaph

He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he departed with no one's regret. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

2 Chronicles 21:20 (ESV)

"And he departed with no one's regret." How would you like to see that on your tombstone? That was Jehoram - son of Jehoshaphat. Do suppose there was cheering at his funeral - not because he had lived a great life, but because he was finally dead? Jehoram did some pretty evil things while he was king. He died an agonizing death. That's not what I want. When I die, I want people to say I was a man after God's own heart. I want people to miss me when I'm gone. I want to get to heaven and hear "well done my good and faithful servant." I fear that on my own efforts my departure will be closer to Jehoram's than I would care to admit. With God's help and for His glory, may I live a life better than that.

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