There are many people in the Bible who are only mentioned in one passage or even verse. Forever immortalized by one major action in their life. For some this a good thing. Remembered for their upstanding character or mighty victory in the Lord. For others, however, this is not a good thing. As they will be forever known for their failure and rebellion against the Lord. If your life was to be boiled down into a few words how would you be remembered based on the life you have lived?
Would you be like Jabez who the Bible records as having his prayer heard and answered by the Lord?
1 Chronicles 4:10 (ESV)
10 Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked.
Or would you be more like Demas who will forever be known as the man who deserted Paul and the ministry because he loved the things of this world?
2 Timothy 4:10 (ESV)
10 For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.
You could argue that one’s life cannot be boiled to down and weighed out based on such a small picture. You would be right to an extent. However, the moments listed above could also be seen as pinnacle moments or even turning points in one’s life. Jabez turned toward God and continued to live for Him in righteousness. While Demas turned away from God and as far as scripture tells never turned back. Choosing instead to live for this world lost in sin.
We all have major moments in our life that shape our future. The truth is where we stand could be shown in one short sentence based on a decision we made. So how would people remember you if that moment was forever recorded?
Would you be known as the person who turned from sin and wickedness to find God, receive salvation, and continue to walk with Him into eternity? Or as the one who turned from God and lived a life destined for destruction never looking back to the Lord? Those are the only options you have and what you decide is what you will be known by.
Ezekiel 18:21–24 (ESV)
21 “But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 22 None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live. 23 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? 24 But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.
Every Christian should strive to be like Jabez and the many others in scripture just like him. Those who are only remembered by a few words, that spell out righteousness. We should set it in our minds to never turn away as Demas did. Instead keeping our focus on The Lord, looking forward to His return, and walking the narrow path that leads to salvation and everlasting life.
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