Joshua 24:15c – As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (KJV)

For the past five years, I have been attending a Bible study with a friend, in the church where she is a member. Although I am an "outsider" in the group, I continue to enjoy this class because its members are warm and welcoming. The teacher constantly amazes me with the depth of her knowledge of not only the Bible but also of ancient history. Her method of teaching helps us to put things in perspective on a timeline. The class discussions are lively, as most of the class members grew up in churches of denominations different than the one to which this church belongs, which they now attend as seniors. We hear many differing viewpoints.

My favourite unit of study this past year was entitled "A Faith Living Will". It was basically a comparison of the farewell addresses of Moses, Joshua, and Jesus.

Each time we meet, we have a check-in question to answer. It is one of our teacher's unique ways of helping us to see how the lesson for the day relates to our own lives. The check-in question on the first day of that particular unit of study was "What one thing do you want your family and friends to remember about you that was important to you in your lifetime?"

The answers were surprising to all of us. For example, a retired educator said that he wanted to be remembered for helping young people to reach their life's goals. A musician and choir director said that she wanted to be remembered for helping people to find joy in their faith through music. A stay-at-home mom, now a grandma, said that she wanted to be remembered for keeping little hands warm in the winter. (She knits dozens of pairs of mittens for charity each year.)

Not one person in our class said anything about fame, fortune, or accomplishment. All of them said that they wanted to be remembered for the way in which they carried out their faith while serving our Lord.

Deuteronomy 7:6 – For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. (NIV)

If you, the readers of PresbyCan Daily, were to write a faith living will, what one thing in your life would you want your family and friends to remember about you?

Prayer: Thank You, Father, for all the blessings that You have bestowed on Your treasured people throughout all the generations. Help us, we pray, to serve You in our own unique ways, using the talents that You have so freely given. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

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About the author:

Judith Welch <judithwelch12@gmail.com>
Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
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