If you remember our last lesson we learned that Habakkuk is never mentioned again in the Bible except in this little book of prophecy that bears his name. Today I began to think about that. Do you realize that once we are dead and gone, it won’t be long that only a few people will remember us? These will be the people we were closest to. To other people we were just a pebble tossed into their lives that made a tiny ripple.
When I became a preacher I thought I would set the world on fire. I have spent my entire preaching ministry in Northwestern Oklahoma. After 45 years I look back at my ministry, and I see that I have accomplished very little. Many times I have wondered if I have been a failure.
I constantly have to remind myself that I have done my best to follow the commission that Paul gave to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:15, “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be soberminded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
Folks, even if the world doesn’t remember us God knows what we have tried to do for Him. Our goal should be to remain faithful to God’s commission even if no one remembers us when we are gone.