Remember
We are only a few generations removed from the Holocaust yet there are those who claim it never happened and want it wiped from the history books. If they have their way, history will be changed for future generations. Most of us were not around during the holocaust, but that generation has ensured that what was endured will not be forgotten.
There is a memorial to the people who lost their lives on 9/11/2001, and it reads, “Never Forget”. Most of us were here for 9/11, and it is our duty to pass on the truth of what happened so that generations to come do not forget. There is a reason we are to never forget.
When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt they quickly forgot what the Lord had done for them each step of the way. It took 40 years of grumbling and complaining before they could enter the Promised Land. An entire generation had to pass. Throughout the Old Testament, God tells His people to remember. He tells them again and again. Deuteronomy 11:18 is a command from the Lord: “Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.”
Remembering builds trust and strengthens our faith. Remembering what God has done in the past helps us to trust what He will do in the future. Remembering establishes truth in our hearts and gives us a solid foundation. We will not keep His commands if we do not remember them.
Is it common for you to go through a major portion of your day, perhaps the entire day, without thinking of God? Even after starting the day with a time of prayer and Bible reading, do you tend to forget Jesus is with you throughout the day? We get busy with chores and errands and job duties and interacting with other people. It is easy to forget His presence in our lives. But He wants us to remember… to remember to pray about every little thing, bringing him into our moments; to remember that He is in control and there is nothing to be concerned about beyond the moment we are in; to remember to be thankful for all things. If you are listening, Jesus is saying to you: “Give your mind a break from planning and trying to anticipate what will happen. Pray continually, asking My Spirit to take charge of the details of this day. Remember that you are on a journey with Me. When you try to peer into the future and plan for every possibility, you ignore your constant Companion who sustains you moment by moment. Remembrance of Me is a daily discipline. Never lose sight of My presence with you.”