If we are not constantly reminded we will quickly forget.
How true! Anyone else out there shaking their head up and down saying right on! amen! I’m picking up what you’re putting down? Think about it. The Lord God gave us these magnificent, incomprehensible brains. These brains govern our every thought, our every movement, our every action. Our brains make our heart pump, our faces smile, our eyes cry, our minds love. Really, it is quite extraordinary what our brains do when you stop and think about it.
But, one thing my brain is not so good at is remembering. Yours too? I write notes, make lists, tell another person to remind me, set alarms on my phone, email myself, calendar, tie a string around my finger – not really but some folks do. All of this and more to remember to do what I’m “supposed” to be doing. In part, it’s because we have very busy lives and there are just a lot of things to remember. But, it could also be because we fill our brains chock full of “useless stuff” that takes up very valuable brain space, or at least that’s the case for me.
The Word of God is full of reminders, in fact, it is in totality a reminder. A reminder of who God is. A reminder of who Jesus is. A reminder of what He’s done for us. A reminder of how we are to live our lives. A reminder of His power. A reminder of His hope. A reminder… The entire Bible is filled with reminders. His Inspired Word uses the word “remember” anywhere from 250 times to 357 times, depending on your translation. Whatever those numbers might be in your Bible, it’s a strong message. The inference of the word “remember” can be found many hundreds of times. Does that tell us something?
“Remember” means to bring to one’s mind, to retain in our memories. The opposite is “forget.” The word “forget” can be found anywhere from 60 times to 90 times, again depending on your translation. Well, I’ll tell you right now I’m super good at that. No amount of Jeopardy, puzzles, mind games, or supplements on the shelves out there right now would change that. I’m sensing I’m not alone! I know another Person who is good at forgetting — when ours sins are forgiven, they are forgotten. Amen!
Here’s the thing, God knew we would struggle with remembering that’s why there are constant reminders. He knew the world would pull us in many different directions and evil forces would encourage us to forget. But, He gave us His amazing power through His Word and the Holy Spirit to combat those forces. Here are a few of His “remembers”:
We to remember God’s commands:
But from eternity to eternity
the Lord’s faithful love is toward those who fear him,
and his righteousness toward the grandchildren
of those who keep his covenant,
who remember to observe his precepts.
Psalm 103:17-18
We are to remember our responsibilities towards each other:
They asked only that we would remember the poor, which I had made every effort to do. Gal 2:10
We are to remember Jesus’s death:
On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, 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, and said, “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 Corinthians 11:23-26
The Bible not only talks of our remembering, but it also talks of God’s remembering.
God always remembers his promises:
For he remembered his sacred promise to Abraham his servant. Psalm 105:42
God always remembers his people:
The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to bow in worship before the LORD. Afterward, they returned home to Ramah. Then Elkanah was intimate with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her. After some time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, because she said, “I requested him from the LORD.” 1 Samuel 1:19-20
The Bible also tells us the results of remembering.
Remembering leads to rejoicing:
Come and see the wonders of God;
his acts for humanity are awe-inspiring.
He turned the sea into dry land,
and they crossed the river on foot.
There we rejoiced in him. Psalm 66:5-6
Remembering leads to repentance:
So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. Matthew 5:23-24
Remembering leads to hope:
Yet I call this to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed,
They are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness!
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in Him.”
Lamentations 3:21-24
The only way we can remember is to be reminded. The only way to be reminded is to be in the Word of God.
If we are not constantly reminded we will quickly forget.