What Will You Be Remembered For?

I am repeatedly asked the question, ‘If today was your last day on earth, what would you do?’ My customary response consists of a nonchalant trail of meaningless, self-gratifying activities, which I suppose would make my last moments of mortal existence that little bit more enjoyable. However, upon a deeper reflection, the real query that needs to be posed is, ‘If today was your last day on earth, what would you be remembered for?’ What will I be remembered for and who will remember me? Gazing back through time at my forefathers and predecessors, I notice that many were only remembered by their spouses and offspring. No stories are told of their heroism, intrepidness or society changing achievements. No mention is made of their philanthropic deeds or supernatural talents. They fade into the never-ending blur of forgettables that make up history’s obituaries.

I now proceed to ask myself, who am I that mankind should remember me? What am I doing that history should recognize my efforts? Is there any difference I am making in my community, in my country or in this desolate world? To be one of the many or one of the few – that remains my mystery. Nothing can ensue on this earth that is outside of God’s providence. Those who are great among men, it is God’s hand that makes them so. History cannot be written without the quill in the hand of God. So, does God recognize my presence here? Is my destiny written in stone or is it open for discussion?

My reflections took me back to the beginning of 2008, where a prophecy was relayed from Prophet T.B. Joshua concerning ‘a young man who would go on a journey of no return’. The subsequent fulfillment was the untimely death of the young actor Heath Ledger. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmCCIyoyN04 In the following weeks, the world mournfully cried out begging to know why such a life should be taken at such a time. A man in the prime of life; at the beginning of a stunning career; at the start of an incredible journey. Yet the God-given prophecy revealed that God was aware. His birth, his life, his death - predestined? I don’t know, but God was aware. As T.B. Joshua so eloquently puts it, ‘Like a bird suddenly caught in a trap; like a fish suddenly caught in a net, no man can tell when his time is coming.’ James said, ‘What is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.’

If today were your last day on earth, what would the word remember you for? With this in mind, we should be forced to live every day as if it were our last, knowing that no man can know when his time is coming.