2 Chronicles 31:20, 21  In this way, King Hezekiah handled the distribution throughout all Judah, doing what was pleasing and good in the sight of the LORD his God. In all that he did in the service of the Temple of God and in his efforts to follow God’s laws and commands, Hezekiah sought his God wholeheartedly. As a result, he was very successful. (NIV)

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One of these days, someone is going to summarize your life in a sentence or two. What will they say? 

Some people specialize in writing tombstone epitaphs. You’ve no doubt seen some funny ones. I found one just now that says, “Please deactivate my Facebook.” 

Some people write their own epitaphs. For example, “I told you I was sick,” and “I have nothing further to say.”

In the two verses above, we see King Hezekiah’s epitaph. We read, “He did what was pleasing and good in the sight of the LORD his God.” It also says “he sought his God wholeheartedly. As a result, he was very successful.”

You get the idea that success in life is a matter of how wholeheartedly we seek God. Sure, you can be successful in a lot of different ways:
– by your own effort
– by the gifts of others
– by teamwork with a group of people who are able to excel at a high level

True success, the kind of success applauded in heaven and echoing across eternity, is measured by how wholeheartedly we know, love, and obey God. Those who love God wholeheartedly, who know him best, discover that obedience is no burden. That’s the source of blessings. Obedience empowers us to get out of our own way. Obedience puts us in position to prosper according to God’s plans and purpose. My obedience makes everything better for everyone. 

Do you remember what the final verse of Psalm 23 says? Let’s refresh our memories:

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.

God never stops pursuing us. He seeks us, stalks us, hounds us, surrounds us. For what reason? To guide us and provide for us. To give us peaceful rest. To calm our hearts. To restore our souls. To guide our paths. To empower us to honor Him and bless others. To surround us with His protection and care. To comfort us, to heal us, to be better to us than we would be to ourselves.

When we pursue God the way he pursues us, epitaphs write themselves. 

What do you want on your tombstone? 

I wrote my own final summary a decade or so ago as an exercise in a life planning process. I review it regularly. It reminds me of all I want to become by God’s grace and according to his mercy. Maybe someday someone will take a look at my summary paragraph and lift a phrase or a sentence and speak it at my funeral. Maybe not. Since I don’t plan to be there, I’m not going to be too concerned about what they say. 

When I stand before my Lord on that day of all days, I want to hear him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” That’s what I want for you also. To that end, I am headed downstairs for one more cup of coffee, after which I will get ready for the day, and then I will seek to know and experience God in the full measure of what He wants me to know and become. 

Doesn’t that sound like a good day? Let’s do it together. 

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I will live as a good and faithful servant. 

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Our Father, thank you for pursuing me. Thank you for never letting me go easy. Thank you for finding me, restoring me, and redirecting me. Empower me to live this day in a manner that you consider good and faithful. Don’t let me settle for any alternative. Don’t let me be enticed away to anything inappropriate. Bless me with clean hands and a pure heart. Bless me with meaningful work and joyous relationships. Amen.