History Books

I awoke with this thought on my mind. "You don't get into heaven because of the good works you do. Good works get you into the history books, not heaven."

The fact is that most of us will not be remembered by many after we leave this earthly existence. Perhaps our family will mention us for a couple of generations, but after that we only become an entry in their genealogy when they get old enough to think about having one.

Perhaps they will wonder who we were when they visit the family plot at the local cemetery and look over the names and dates. I know I have done this with mine and really know very little about those long forgotten relatives that lived during the civil war or even before. They are names and dates on stone tablets.

Some will be remembered in the history books. If we look at what we learned in school they are a small number compared to how many have gone before us. Sure we remember the names of people who were our presidents, but not many of even them. Big corporation names, but maybe because the companies still use their name. We even remember ones who caused horrible events in history, perhaps even more than those that made their mark and changed things for the better in their time.

John 3:3  
"I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God." (NLT) 

When it comes to heaven, we do not have to have a building named for us, or fight a war, or be in the who's who list. That list, the names written in the book of life, is made up of born again believers. It is the list of the saints, those that made a decision in their heart to follow Jesus.

There were no works that had to be done to get on that list. The only requirement is to believe. Then, as we follow Him in our day to day life, we do the work He lays before us as Holy Spirit guides us.