Have you ever sat around a table with family or longtime friends and experienced the joy of remembering and retelling stories from the past? It is something we all do and enjoy and is something that spans across cultures as well. Storytelling has been done throughout history as a way of remembering people, places, and purposes of the past; a way of passing down laughs that light up faces; a way of acknowledging landmark events and lessons from mistakes; a way of praising the good and gleaning words of wisdom that can change lives.
The power we experience in our own lives through the practice of remembrance is why God repeatedly tells the people of Israel, and us, to continually remember who He is and what He has done. Like our own storytelling, when we remember God’s story in our lives, it brings joy, purpose, wisdom, and gratitude to us.
“…Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm…” (Deuteronomy 5:15)
“…Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced…” 1 Chronicles 16:12
“ ‘Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.’ “ Nehemiah 4:14
“Remember to magnify His work, Of which men have sung.” Job 36:24
“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.” Psalm 77:11
“They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.” Psalm 78:35
“ ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ Log”Luke 22:19
“Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel…” 2 Timothy 2:7
God even warns us of not remembering in Scripture.
“They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them…” Nehemiah 9:17
I don’t know about you, but I do not want to be a stiff-necked person in rebellion who is on the path to destruction. Instead, I pray that through the practice of remembering God’s character and work, you and I will always find our hearts and minds close to the Lord. You see, when we remind ourselves of who God is and all He has done, we are not only honoring Him, but also believing Him, trusting Him, loving Him. We are taking our eyes off of the distractions, chaos, and temporal things around us and fixing them on Him.
One of my favorite stories of remembering is found in Joshua 3 and 4.
The Israelites are entering the promised land, led by Joshua who God is using to remind the Israelites once again who He is and how He fulfills His promises. As they prepare to cross the Jordan River, Joshua explains that the waters will stop flowing so that the priests and Israelites would be able to cross. God indeed stops the flow of the Jordan River and the priests carrying the ark of the covenant along with the whole nation of Israel cross the Jordan, the priests stopping in the middle on dry ground. Joshua tells them to choose twelve men from each tribe to carry a large stone from the middle of the river to “serve as a sign among you…a memorial to the people of Israel forever…In the future, when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them…the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”
Wow! What a beautiful thing the Lord did for them and does for us. He not only provided a way by performing an incredible miracle, but He made it clear that He wanted this to be remembered so the “peoples of the earth” would KNOW HIM! He wants every single person to know Him and experience His amazing love and grace.
I believe God wants us to continually “build memorials” and remember all that He has done and who He is so that we do not forget and others will know that the Lord is powerful, is love, and is worthy of fear and awe and reverence. The practice of remembering helps us to not forget who God is, builds trust, hope and confidence in Him, as well as leads us to a place of incredible gratitude, life changing gratitude.
I am remembering God’s amazing faithfulness to my family and me this season.
I am remembering God’s continual invitation to follow Him and love Him with all of my heart.
I am remembering the immense joy that God has filled me with when I remain in His presence and walk in obedience.
I am remembering that I was lost, but now I am found. I was blind, but now I see. I was in the darkness, but now I walk in the light and life of Jesus, my Savior and Redeemer.
I am remembering how God has drawn me nearer and nearer to Him. He has pruned me and continues to as He produces abundant fruit of joy, peace, and hope along with other spiritual blessings in my life.
I am remembering how God rescued and restored my marriage, and continues to do immeasurably more than I could ask or imagine in this relationship.
I am remembering God’s beautiful calling on my life to love, nurture, and remind my own children of His great love and path to life and freedom, to joy and peace, to hope and abundance.
I am remembering the incredible community God has placed in my life-a long-awaited prayer which has been one of sweetest, most surprising gifts, well worth the wait.
I am remembering that we are promised eternal life through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Heaven is a place we cannot even begin to imagine.
I am remembering that even in the midst of people’s suffering and nearing the end of life, God is with us and works all things for the good of those who love Him.
My list is incredibly long of the things that I am remembering this season for we serve a limitless, boundless God of love who lavishes His followers with grace upon grace. I encourage you to gather around a table with family and friends and do some remembering of your own. Build a memorial to God. Share of His work in your life.
And if you do not know the love of Jesus, then know that He is a God who relentlessly pursues YOU! He wants nothing more than for you to say yes to His invitation, and He wants to do amazing things with you and in you through the power of His grace and love. He is inviting you to believe Him, follow Him, love Him and remember Him.
Hope your time of remembrance overflows your cup and the cups of those around.
Shared in love and gratitude,
Lindsay
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