June 19, 2023
Melissa Valerio
Isn’t it funny how time has a way of making us forget things? Remember those heartbreaks you experienced as a teenager or young adult? When the whole world crashed down around you after a relationship broke off? What seemed so fresh and raw at the time eventually turned into a vapor of a memory years later, right? Well, the same can happen to the good times in our lives. The times God has delivered us out of a tough situation and brought us through a valley. We’re on such a high and praising God’s glory and goodness for providing exactly what we needed at the exact time we needed it, but then the memory fades away and we forget His faithfulness when another trial creeps upon us. It’s normal, that’s why God encourages us to do something to remember those acts of faithfulness! Kind of like the sacraments that we partake in at church. The breaking of the bread and drinking of the wine. We do this to physically remind ourselves of what Jesus did on the cross for us.
When Joshua led the Israelites across the Jordan River, he selected 12 men (representing the 12 tribes of Israel) to each carry a stone across and set it up on the other side. By building this altar, they wanted a physical reminder of God’s deliverance from Egyptian slavery. “This will be a symbol among you. In the future your children may ask, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ Then you will tell them that the water of the Jordan was cut off before the Lord’s covenant chest. When it crossed over the Jordan, the water of the Jordan was cut off. These stones will be an enduring memorial for the Israelites.” (Joshua 4:6-7 CEB) Why is it important to remember? Because our human minds tend to forget the emotion involved in each trial we went through. We forget that God is the one who worked it out for our benefit and God is the one who carried us through our sorrows. We forget how powerful He is and how He is fully capable of solving any problem we find ourselves in. But we have a secret weapon that the rest of the unbelieving world does not have……the Holy Spirit! When we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit was given to each believer as a gift from God (Acts 2:38). So, because we have the Spirit of God living within us, we have all the benefits of a King’s child — protection, provision, privilege, promise, prayer. So, the next time a trial comes upon you, remember you are a child of God. Remember what He’s done in the past, both in your life and in the lives of those in the Bible. He is faithful, unchanging, solid, and secure. Remember.
Prayer: Dear God, thank You for the gift of remembrance. Without it, we would never learn from our past. Help us to grow our memory bank of Your faithfulness in our lives. Remind us of all the times You’ve cared for us. Never let us forget Your goodness. Your love endures forever. In Your blessed Son’s name, Amen.
Action: Make a “memorial stone” in your own life by creating a tradition. Think of a specific time God came through for you. Dedicate that deliverance to Him and thank Him for providing what you needed. Make it an annual tradition to routinely remind yourself of God’s faithfulness to you.