“And departed without being desired.” 2 Chronicles 21:20

I almost cried when I read these words. We see the great “King Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah…and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem.” (2 Chronicles 20:31) He did so many good things to bring the people back to the Lord. When he died, he left his oldest son, Jehoram, to reign. But this son was evil. He killed all his brothers and made the people turn back to idols. God was so angry, He punished him by smiting his people, his children, his wives and everything he had. God sent all his enemies to war against him and God smote him with a disease so that “all his bowels fell out,” and he died in much pain. Then the Bible says, “And he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired.” (2 Chronicles 21:20)

When we leave this world, we want to be remembered as “someone who loved God, who helped the poor, who shared what they had, and who put God first.” We never want to be remembered as one who departed (died) without being desired (missed or loved). This young king could have done “more than his father,” but instead, he was greedy, selfish, and disobedient to God, and he died without being desired. Someday, we will stand before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We want to hear Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!” Make this day count for Jesus!

Sherry