It’s a blistering hot day when we travel to the Valley of the Kings in Egypt.  With temperatures just shy of 120 degrees.  They say it’s a dry heat.  But so is our oven!

Here small children swarm all over the tram that ferries us deep within.  They’re in our faces, hawking postcards, gum and scarves.  They’re eager to ambush our cash, the baksheesh, they scream for.  ‘Baksheesh!  Baksheesh!’  Can still hear their plaintive, begging cries.

The only heat relief is found in the bowels of each king’s tomb.  How welcome!  But not for long as there’s much more to check out.

Visiting these tombs makes me wonder about what remembrance I’ll leave behind.  After all, in about 3 generations I’m just a name on a genealogy chart.  You too.  What do any of us know about our great-great grandparents?  A name?  Some dates?  Not much more, if that.

Reading 2 Chronicles, I’m mining information about some rather sketchy kings of Judah.  Few are godly.   Jehoram found in chapter 21 is a real mess.  From start to finish, a noted failure.  Kills all his brothers, preventing familial competition.  Nice bro!  Marries the daughter of wretched pagans Ahab and Jezebel.  Poor move!   Forsakes the Lord, suffering horrific war losses.  Big mistake!  Leads Judah into apostasy, and doesn’t give the time of day to the prophet Elijah’s mayday distress signals of imminent judgement.  Warnings like water off a duck’s back.

When Jehoram dies, here’s the final word –‘He passed away, to no one’s regret, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings’ (2 Chronicles 21:20).  No burial with the other kings.  Excluded.  Shunned.  Given the bum’s rush.  No one sheds even a crocodile tear.

Not how I want to be remembered.  But I don’t need a valley tomb.  For I’ll be in the bosom of the King of Kings!  Close to Jesus in the dwelling He’s prepared for me and you (John 14).  Who cares if I’m remembered much beyond the next few generations?  Jesus never forgets us… and never lets us go.

Our King was dead but now He lives.  Risen and Reigns forevermore.  Happy Easter!

Thank you, Jesus, for keeping us safe with you.  Amen.