The idea of “Remember” is key in many areas of our lives.
To remember means:
- To not forget.
- To remind.
- To reorient oneself to a previously determined course.
It is no wonder God uses this term often. With Israel, He always challenged them to remember the covenant. They were to observe many festivals and feasts, all designed to remind themselves of God’s deliverance, provision, and character.
These were holidays built into the calendar. In South Africa, we do this as well. One of my favorite ones is Freedom Day. This day remembers the struggle against apartheid and Nelson Mandela’s [amazon_link id=”0316548189″ target=”_blank” ]Long Walk to Freedom[/amazon_link].
The Bible is full of things to remember:
- Remember your Creator. (Ecc. 12)
- Remember the Sabbath. (Ex. 20)
- Remember the wife of your youth. (Prov. 5)
Why all this talk of remembering?
Simply put, because we are forgetful.
We must make a point to rehearse the character of God in our lives to combat fear and doubt.
I need constant reminders of the grace of God to counteract my human inclination towards striving and performance.
We must remember what we believed clearly in the light when we face times of darkness and confusion.
There is a young gentleman at my church who I notice each week. He carries his backpack to church. Adorning the bag is multiple badges of remembrance.
These come from Narcotics Anonymous. They read:
* 1 week Sober
* 1 month Sober
* 6 months sober
He excitedly told me the other week how he was getting close to his “1 Year Sober” award. I told him to make sure to show me when he gets it so I can rejoice with him.
This is the power of remembering. It is not the normal pattern of behavior in our lives. It can help us to do physical things, like keeping festivals or carrying sobriety badges to keep the truth before us.
Let us always remind ourselves of:
- Who God is.
- What God has done for us.
- The things he has called us to do.
- Our potential pitfalls so we can avoid them.
We consider the ability to remember a simple thing. We admonish our children to do it. To apply this truth to our lives is far more difficult.
We need constant reminders to not forget. They refresh our faith and memories of the truth on which we stand constantly.
Jerry Bridges, the former President of the Navigators, used to say something powerful about remembering.
“We must preach the gospel to ourselves every day!”
We must remind ourselves of the simple truth and power which lies in the gospel message each and every day.
Remember.
Photo credit: Alcoholics Anonymous - Keep Coming Back via photopin (license)