His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed. Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only does wondrous things! (Psalm 72:17-18)

His Name Is Not Forgotten

A genealogist researches the ancestral heritage of people or families. Creating a genealogy is an account of the descent of a person or family for many generations. Names fill the register of the account of ancestors who thrived in life, going about their daily activities, enjoying whatever measure of happiness derived from their time on earth, and stories recalled through generations. The names of genealogy fill books to the curiosity of the family heritage, but the knowledge of the individual fades with each generation. A name on a register is only a name. Forgotten is the fullness of their story and who they were.

Countless names fill the registry of a genealogy forgotten over the centuries to remain as names on marble headstones or book inscriptions. These names represent people who lived full lives, contributing to the world whatever measure of honor was mustered in the brief moment of life. John Chrysostom said, “If you knew how quickly people would forget you after your death, you would not seek in your life to please anyone but God.” How many generations can a person remember? Someone can remember what their grandfather said and did, and sometimes what their great-grandparents may have done, but beyond that spectrum of time, lives are lost and stories forgotten.

The harsh reality of life for those who seek to build a legacy is that they are soon forgotten and remembered no more. Who can remember the most important accomplishment achieved by a person in 1923? At the time, the world honored a renowned person, and thousands spoke the individual’s name. But what about today? Is that name mentioned or recognized? Forgotten in the ages of the historical dustbins of time, names are gone, and no memory is given to their life. History will remember an infinitesimal number of names with historical accuracy, but 99.99% of people are forgotten, their names banished to the oblivion of insignificance.

Fame is fleeting, and legacies are the errands of fools. The Bible has preserved names that have been known for thousands of years. Abraham and Sarah are remembered. A woman named Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite, is remembered in Holy scrip. Dorcas, an early disciple of Christ in Joppa, is remembered by the Holy Spirit. The name of the Lord God has been remembered since the beginning of time and will continue as long as the sun rises and sets. Men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed. Jesus Christ is a name that all men know. Most in the world deny Him being the Son of God, but they acknowledge His story after two thousand years.

The difference in the legacy of man and the story of the Divine is that men forget the names of men, but they cannot forget the name of their Creator. What makes the plight of man sad is the feverish efforts made for the world to remember their names – and in death are soon forgotten. What a wasted life. If the souls of men would spend more time seeking God to remember their names, what a change would come in their lives. God writes the names of the saved in the Book of Life and will forever be inscribed on God’s heart when they are found faithful. The goal of man should never be to leave his name in the ages of human history, but to hear the Lord God proclaim his name to the heavenly hosts, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter in.” Men will forget you. God will never forget you. Live for the One who knows your name and will shout your name in the counsel of the faithful.