Prayer Tip--What Do These Stones Say: Leaving a Legacy
Daily Scripture
Joshua 4:1-7 (CEB)
When the entire nation had finished crossing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “Pick twelve men from the people, one man per tribe. Command them, ‘Pick up twelve stones from right here in the middle of the Jordan, where the feet of the priests had been firmly planted. Bring them across with you and put them down in the camp where you are staying tonight.’”
Joshua called for the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one man per tribe. Joshua said to them, “Cross over into the middle of the Jordan, up to the Lord your God’s chest. Each of you, lift up a stone on his shoulder to match the number of the tribes of the Israelites. This will be a symbol among you. In the future your children may ask, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ Then you will tell them that the water of the Jordan was cut off before the Lord’s covenant chest. When it crossed over the Jordan, the water of the Jordan was cut off. These stones will be an enduring memorial for the Israelites.”
Daily Reflection & Prayer
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do, With your one wild and precious life?” Mary Oliver
I love that quote. Even though Mary Oliver wrote it, I feel like Jesus could have said it. Jesus gives us freedom to do what we want with our one wild and precious life. We can live it beside him or act as though he doesn’t exist. We can spend it loving our neighbors or we can spend it fighting with them.
The ten commandments gave us broad rules for what God says we should not do. In Mathew 22:37-39, “Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” Those are broad strokes of what it means to live a life called to serving with Jesus. But we can do those things and choose to be preachers, missionaries, bankers, doctors, teachers, raise children or not raise children, and many other paths. We can say we want to lead a life of service, yet there are so many ways to live a life that reflects that.
One key truth to define how to live a live that leaves a legacy of loving Jesus is that our lives are finite on Earth. We do not know how many days we have but we do know at some point we will have finished our work on Earth. This gives us reason to get intentional about examining how we are living and consider what we want our legacy to be. Spending time reflecting on your values, praying about how God would like you to use your days is a way to keep from reaching the end of your days and realizing you were on autopilot and you didn’t get to some of the things that were really important to you. Here are two prayers that may assist you in your reflection. I pray that you will feel the Holy Spirit speak to you as you consider your life and your legacy this week.
Prayer
A Covenant Prayer in the Wesleyan Tradition
I am no longer my own, but yours. Put me to what you will, place me with whom you will. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be put to work for you or set aside for you, Praised for you or criticized for you. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and fully surrender all things to your glory and service. And now, O wonderful and holy God, Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer, you are mine, and I am yours. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, Let it also be made in heaven. Amen.
Discernment Prayer (Sisters of Notre Dame)
Walk with me, good and loving God, as I journey through life. May I take Your hand and be led by Your Holy Spirit. Fill me, inspire me, free me to respond generously to Your call. For I believe You desire my deepest joy, And it is only in Your company That my soul will be satisfied And my life will find its meaning and purpose. Amen
Dear Jesus, my aim is to live a life in which I have contributed to bringing your kingdom to Earth. Help me be intentional so that my words and decisions shape the legacy I hope to leave. May I walk by your side all the days of my life and dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Amen.
GPS Insights
Ashly Cooley
This week's prayer tip is by Ashly Cooley who serves as Executive Assistant in Resurrection's Care and Mental Wellness office. She has been on staff at Resurrection since 2015 and says this is the best job she has ever had. She is passionate about serving the Lord, normalizing mental health care, and is a self-proclaimed bibliophile. She enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, extended family and friends as well as dancing badly and snuggling her dog, Bessie.
