I had made a big mistake.
My new saxophone teacher (Who I’d only met once) called to say he was sat in his lounge expecting me, and I was late. I had completely forgotten I’d booked the lesson, and as a result had made alternate plans. It can be very easy, when life gets busy, to forget plans and arrangements we've made. No matter how hard I try to be organised, and how often I write it down, make lists and set reminders I usually end up failing to remember what I need to do. Here’s a look at the idea of Remembering in the bible.
“I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.” Gen 9:15
The first thing to point out is that God never forgets. Being forgetful is a weakness and a fault, but God is absolutely perfect, and without any flaws. He never forgets. So when God promises to remember His covenant, we know it will always be kept. God will never judge this world by a flood again. He will one day judge all sin, but it won’t be by flooding the earth. In the Old Testament it's recorded that "God remembered...." certain people. Sometimes, they were in the middle of very difficult circumstances. God remembered Noah in the ark, Rachel when she was barren, Abraham (and Isaac and Jacob) when he was wondering without a permanent home, Joseph when he was in prison and so on. We are always in the sight of God, and no matter what the trial or difficulty, God will not forget us.
“Then Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place.” Ex 13:3
This is a challenging verse. Moses told the Children of Israel to remember the day when they left Egypt, when they were delivered out of the bondage that they’d been under. What about me? Or you? Can you look back to a day in your life when you left the world behind, and came out of the slavery of sin? A day when God saved us out of our life of ruin, rebellion and rejection of Jesus Christ? I'm very thankful that I can. It’s a good thing to be able to think back to that day (even though I don’t know the time or date), and remember I trusted the Lord Jesus as my saviour, and from that very minute I was free! It’s also important to remember that God alone did the saving. The moving from darkness to light. Remember.....“Salvation is of the Lord”.
“You shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.” Deut 8:2
Another good thing to remember is that just like the Children of Israel in the wilderness, we have God (in particular His Holy Spirit) to guide us through life. This, according to the bible should be a humbling thing. If God is leading, we shouldn't be seeking our own way, but faithfully following. The period of trials and testing along the way is to see how much we trust God, and how much of our lives we're prepared to submit to Him. Have you ever driven through thick fog? The car headlights against the fog mean that you usually can only see just a few feet ahead of you. God doesn't show us the whole of our life, but little by little reveals the turn in the road of life. We've got to faithfully follow His leading to travel the safest way, and use His word to lighten our pathway. (Psalm 119:
“Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;” Ecc 12:1
Each week (during term time), our church has a wonderful privilege of preaching the gospel to children from the local area. I find this one of the most rewarding and beneficial works we can be involved in. Children aren't as skeptical as adults, they find it easier to have faith, and are more willing to listen to the truth of God and His creation. It’s important then that children know about God, and if He chooses, that they come to trust in Him and His Son. Sadly many children, who don’t trust in the Lord in their youth grow up ignoring all of the things they've heard. Choosing to forget God, rather than to remember their Creator. Its also good for us to remember Him when we are young, and to establish good practices for living for Him before careers, relationships and interests get too firm a grip.
“For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jer 31:34
When a person becomes a Christian, God forgives them of all of their sin. He removes the condemnation and wrath that was upon them. He could still remember all of their sin though, all of their times of failure and disobedience. However, God doesn't forget our sin (a negative), he chooses to remember our sins no more (positive)! So often when people wrong us, we forgive but choose not to forget. I for one am pleased that God has decided to forgive, and to not remember.
“And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.” Matt 26:75
There are times when I've sinned, and afterwards a verse comes to mind and reminds me that I've just broken God’s law. While we can’t change it, and it will occur many times in our lives, we like Peter should instantly repent of it. To acknowledge sin when we remember it is a starting point to dealing with it.
“For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.” 1 Cor 11: 23-26
Finally, one of the greatest things we can do for our Saviour is to remember Him as He has asked. He told us that by breaking the bread, and drinking the wine from the cup, we show to the world what the Lord Jesus has done. He gave Himself to die for sin, His own precious blood was shed, and His body wasn’t only punished physically, but was made sin in order to be punished for sin.
There are lots of memorials, gravestones and statues to remember those who have died, but none for the Lord Jesus. That's because He rose again the 3rd day, and is now in Heaven. It’s a Christian’s great privilege to meet with the Lord present each week (or however often it is your church chooses to meet), and then to constantly be reminded of the vast cost that He paid to save us out of the bondage of sin. That truly is something worth REMEMBERING!
Once again, this subject has only been glanced at, and I'm sure you can add to it. Such verses like “Remember Lot’s wife” (as she looked back to Sodom), and of how God will “remember their iniquities” (people who reject the Lord Jesus) etc. There are over 200 mentions of remembering, remember and remembrance in the bible, and you wouldn't want to read a blog that mentioned them all. Ha ha. I hope this post helps you to remember some of the blessings we have, the things to give thanks for, and the God who has done it all!
Yours in Him
Dan
P.S. the photo below is a memorial to the thousands of people who lost their lives at the destruction of the twin towers in New York on 11th September 2001.
“I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.” Gen 9:15
The first thing to point out is that God never forgets. Being forgetful is a weakness and a fault, but God is absolutely perfect, and without any flaws. He never forgets. So when God promises to remember His covenant, we know it will always be kept. God will never judge this world by a flood again. He will one day judge all sin, but it won’t be by flooding the earth. In the Old Testament it's recorded that "God remembered...." certain people. Sometimes, they were in the middle of very difficult circumstances. God remembered Noah in the ark, Rachel when she was barren, Abraham (and Isaac and Jacob) when he was wondering without a permanent home, Joseph when he was in prison and so on. We are always in the sight of God, and no matter what the trial or difficulty, God will not forget us.
“Then Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place.” Ex 13:3
This is a challenging verse. Moses told the Children of Israel to remember the day when they left Egypt, when they were delivered out of the bondage that they’d been under. What about me? Or you? Can you look back to a day in your life when you left the world behind, and came out of the slavery of sin? A day when God saved us out of our life of ruin, rebellion and rejection of Jesus Christ? I'm very thankful that I can. It’s a good thing to be able to think back to that day (even though I don’t know the time or date), and remember I trusted the Lord Jesus as my saviour, and from that very minute I was free! It’s also important to remember that God alone did the saving. The moving from darkness to light. Remember.....“Salvation is of the Lord”.
“You shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.” Deut 8:2
Another good thing to remember is that just like the Children of Israel in the wilderness, we have God (in particular His Holy Spirit) to guide us through life. This, according to the bible should be a humbling thing. If God is leading, we shouldn't be seeking our own way, but faithfully following. The period of trials and testing along the way is to see how much we trust God, and how much of our lives we're prepared to submit to Him. Have you ever driven through thick fog? The car headlights against the fog mean that you usually can only see just a few feet ahead of you. God doesn't show us the whole of our life, but little by little reveals the turn in the road of life. We've got to faithfully follow His leading to travel the safest way, and use His word to lighten our pathway. (Psalm 119:
“Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;” Ecc 12:1
Each week (during term time), our church has a wonderful privilege of preaching the gospel to children from the local area. I find this one of the most rewarding and beneficial works we can be involved in. Children aren't as skeptical as adults, they find it easier to have faith, and are more willing to listen to the truth of God and His creation. It’s important then that children know about God, and if He chooses, that they come to trust in Him and His Son. Sadly many children, who don’t trust in the Lord in their youth grow up ignoring all of the things they've heard. Choosing to forget God, rather than to remember their Creator. Its also good for us to remember Him when we are young, and to establish good practices for living for Him before careers, relationships and interests get too firm a grip.
“For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jer 31:34
When a person becomes a Christian, God forgives them of all of their sin. He removes the condemnation and wrath that was upon them. He could still remember all of their sin though, all of their times of failure and disobedience. However, God doesn't forget our sin (a negative), he chooses to remember our sins no more (positive)! So often when people wrong us, we forgive but choose not to forget. I for one am pleased that God has decided to forgive, and to not remember.
“And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.” Matt 26:75
There are times when I've sinned, and afterwards a verse comes to mind and reminds me that I've just broken God’s law. While we can’t change it, and it will occur many times in our lives, we like Peter should instantly repent of it. To acknowledge sin when we remember it is a starting point to dealing with it.
“For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.” 1 Cor 11: 23-26
Finally, one of the greatest things we can do for our Saviour is to remember Him as He has asked. He told us that by breaking the bread, and drinking the wine from the cup, we show to the world what the Lord Jesus has done. He gave Himself to die for sin, His own precious blood was shed, and His body wasn’t only punished physically, but was made sin in order to be punished for sin.
There are lots of memorials, gravestones and statues to remember those who have died, but none for the Lord Jesus. That's because He rose again the 3rd day, and is now in Heaven. It’s a Christian’s great privilege to meet with the Lord present each week (or however often it is your church chooses to meet), and then to constantly be reminded of the vast cost that He paid to save us out of the bondage of sin. That truly is something worth REMEMBERING!
Once again, this subject has only been glanced at, and I'm sure you can add to it. Such verses like “Remember Lot’s wife” (as she looked back to Sodom), and of how God will “remember their iniquities” (people who reject the Lord Jesus) etc. There are over 200 mentions of remembering, remember and remembrance in the bible, and you wouldn't want to read a blog that mentioned them all. Ha ha. I hope this post helps you to remember some of the blessings we have, the things to give thanks for, and the God who has done it all!
Yours in Him
Dan
P.S. the photo below is a memorial to the thousands of people who lost their lives at the destruction of the twin towers in New York on 11th September 2001.
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