Remember

Sometimes it’s important to remember the past. Remembering good things encourages us. Bad memories warn us not to repeat our mistakes. I looked up the word “remember” on Bible Gateway and was surprised to find that some form of the word is used 230 times (in the New King James Version). Obviously I can’t talk about all of them, but I will mention a few. By the way, it might be an interesting project for you to peruse the list on your own. Here’s the link:

https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=remember&version=NKJV

The children of Israel were often urged to remember what God had done for them. For example, the writer of Deuteronomy said over and over, “Remember.” “Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm” (Deut. 5:15). “You shall remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt” (Deut. 7:18). “And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not” (Deut. 8:2). Unfortunately, they didn’t always remember, and they suffered the consequences. What a cycle of remembering and forgetting they had!

On the other hand, when Isaiah was speaking to the people of Israel about the oppression and problems they had suffered, he said: “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:18-19). In other words, there’s a time to remember and a time to forget. Don’t dwell on past failures and difficulties. Anticipate what God can and will do. 

When God forgives our sins, He promises to “remember them no more.” That should give us confidence to live without fear. The writer of Hebrews quotes the Old Testament and adds these encouraging words. “ ‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,’ then He adds, ‘Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.’ ….Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way…..and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:16-22).

But here’s what got me thinking about remembering. It wasn’t until after Jesus’ resurrection that the disciples remembered what He had told them about His death and resurrection. Too bad. It would have saved them a lot of fear and worry. Now we are reminded when we celebrate communion to remember. “And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me’ ” (Luke 22:19). At this special Easter season, will you take time to remember all that He did for you? And look forward to all that He has promised?