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Beneficial Memories
Devotional for Monday, August 31, 2009 by Ivie Bozeman
Philippians 1:3-4 - I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you. (NRSV)My good friend, prayer partner, and a well-loved member of my church met her death many years ago when a driver under the influence of alcohol lost control and ran into her.
Accepting her death was hard for all who knew her. She had so much to contribute to life. We all struggled with the circumstances of her untimely death. Why did God allow this to happen?
As the years have passed, we have discovered that she has lived on in our midst in the memories we have of her. A Sunday School class and a women's circle have been named for her. The members of my generation often speak of her, as memories of her words and actions flow into our minds. She has been gone from our midst, but her memory lives on and has guided us in many instances.
No one knows why God allowed her to be taken from us at such an early age, but time has wiped away the bitterness and has left us with the beautiful memories of her life.
God has impressed on our church and on those who were her close friends how the good we do can linger and bless the world long after we are gone.
Will our memories bless those who knew us after we are gone? We all have legacies to leave behind. How we live today will affect in the future those who know and love us.
Prayer: Father, we thank You for the beautiful lives of friends who have gone on to be with You, and for what they have meant to us and others. Help us to live our own lives in such a way that memories of us will guide and direct future generations to walk in Your ways and spread Your love. Amen.
Ivie Bozeman <ivie@rose.net>
Thomasville, Georgia, USA
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Today's Music:
How Great Our God's Majestic Name.