Daily Devotional | Sarah - Leaving a Legacy

My grandma Ruby wrote her life story and titled it My Burden Bearer. The title points to the difficult life she endured—losing her mother when she was a child, suffering an unkind stepmom, becoming a single mom at a young age, living her early married years in a tiny cabin in rural Minnesota, and raising three children with cerebral palsy—one who died at the age of 5.

But the title of her autobiography also underscores her faith in God—the One who redeemed her, sustained her, and bore her burdens. Grandma Ruby died when I was in college. I am grateful for the record we have of her life so that my children, too, can learn from her legacy of faith. In Genesis 23 we read that Sarah has died at the age of 127. The text announces her death with little fanfare. Abraham’s mourning is mentioned, but not developed in detail: “Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her” (v. 2). The rest of the chapter explains the lengths to which Abraham had to go to obtain a proper burial place for her body.

Ephron the Hittite was willing to give Abraham a portion of land, but Abraham refused to accept the gift. He did not want to be indebted to Ephron or his descendants. So Abraham paid full price. He buried Sarah in the cave, where he also owned the surrounding field. Abraham’s acquisition of this land was not only an important means to properly honor his wife, but further evidence of God’s ability to bring His covenant promises to fruition and sustain His redemption plan from generation to generation. 

>> Today is a perfect time to ponder what legacy you and I are leaving for the next generation. What will they learn from us and pass on? Each of our lives is a part of God’s bigger plan. We must remember that we are not building our own kingdoms. Rather, we are playing a tiny part in His.