WE NEED TO REMEMBER
Tomorrow is Memorial Day. The day we have set aside to officially remember. We remember those who have given their lives in service to our country and we also remember and honor our loved ones who have passed away. We may attend a parade and perhaps go to the cemetery and place flowers or flags at the gravesite. It can be a very somber holiday; especially if we have lost people recently. Although it may be difficult we understand the importance of it; we recognize the necessity for it.
When we take the time to reflect and honor these people we keep the memories fresh. Not that we would forget about our loved ones but over time if we didn’t take the time to reminisce we probably wouldn’t think of them as much. Remembering is good. We think about the good times we had with someone. When it comes to veterans we remember their service and sacrifice and what it stood for. In remembering we are thankful for what their lives meant to us.
God understands the importance of remembering too. Let’s take a look at some of the things God wanted his people to remember and why it’s important for us too.
1) We need to remember God’s commands.
Num. 15:37-41, “The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the LORD your God.’ ”
In Numbers 15 you see God giving Moses various instructions to give to the people for when they became established in Canaan. In this section we see that God wanted the people to have a constant reminder of his commands. The tassels on their garments would be a tangible thing they would see as they moved about, thus having a constant reminder of their need to obey. It would keep them in check. If they were tempted to do something that would be against a command of God they would look down and see the tassel and hopefully resist giving in.
It was also a reminder for them to remember what the Lord had done for them in bringing their people out of the land of slavery and into the land of plenty.
Another interesting thing about the tassels is that they would stand out to any foreigner. Once they learned the significance of the tassels they would be a visible indicator that the person wearing them was a follower of God.
We too need to remember the Lord’s commands when we are tempted to chase after the lusts of our hearts and eyes. We need to remember what God has done for us in redeeming us from slavery to sin and setting us in the Promised Land. Hopefully our remembrance of that will be a motivator to not dishonor that precious blessing of grace.
We might not be wearing tassels but we often do other things that serve as both reminders and indicators for those around us. WWJD, hat, or t-shirt, bumper sticker on car, etc. These things can actually serve to keep us in check. Harder to give in to temptation when you look down and see your WWJD bracelet. You’re not as apt to be aggressive or hostile on the road when you remember your “Jesus loves you” bumper sticker. And are we really going to act a fool when we’re wearing a Christian hat or t-shirt? Not that we should need these things in order to keep us in check but it’s good to have reminders. It’s important that we remember the Lord’s commands and what he’s done for us.
One of the best ways we can remember the Lord’s commands is when we obey the Lord’s commands. Obedience helps us to remember.
James 1:22-25, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.”
I look intently at the word of God. Then the word of God becomes ingrained on my mind. However, if I don’t put it into practice then the commands of God can become a distant memory. It’s not enough to know; I also need to do. This is how I put myself in a position to not forget God’s commands.
2) We need to remember God’s victories.
In Deut. 7 we see Moses doing some more prep work for when the Israelites went into the land of Canaan. They were going to need to battle the people that were already there in order to take over the land. But God had already said that this land was theirs, they just needed to trust him and do what it took to claim it. However, God knew the propensity for them to become overwhelmed when they saw what they were up against so he gave them a little reminder so that they wouldn’t be afraid to do what he was asking them to do.
Deut. 7:17-19, “You may say to yourselves, “These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?” But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt. You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the miraculous signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the LORD your God brought you out. The LORD your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear.”
The previous generation of Israelites had already faced this fear and lost. That’s why they ended up wandering around in the desert for 40 years-they were unwilling to do what God said he was giving them the power to do. Except for Joshua and Caleb, everyone was too afraid to try to take over the land of Canaan. And because they chose to be afraid instead of trusting God they did not get to enter the promised land-only their children would. So it was important for this generation of Israelites to be taught to remember what the Lord had done so they would not repeat the same mistake their fathers did.
There are going to be times when we are going to be facing situations that seem insurmountable. But whenever we’re ‘facing the giants’ we need to remember all the powerful and miraculous ways the Lord has worked in our lives. Reflecting on those events will help us to have the faith and courage to face our current situation.
3) We need to remember God’s blessings.
Deut. 8:10-18, “When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you. You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.”
God knows the tendency for us humans to be prideful. God warns that when he blesses them and they start being successful the stage is set for egotism-see how talented I am-look what I have accomplished. But, unfortunately, although the warning was in place there were times when they did forget.
The prophet Hosea highlighted this fact in Hosea 13:6, “When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me.”
When times are good we can have the tendency to put God in our back pocket. “I don’t need God; everything’s going great. When times are tough, then I’ll be looking for God’s help.” We forget God in the essence of not paying him any mind. We forget about all the ways God was there for us. We forget about all his blessings. We forget about seeking God’s wisdom. We forget about God’s ways and go our own way. When the things of God become less and less of a priority in our lives and something else does, we are on the road to forgetting all about God.
Jer. 2:32, “Does a maiden forget her jewelry, a bride her wedding ornaments? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number.”
A maiden wouldn’t forget her jewelry nor would a bride her wedding ornaments why? Because they are very important and they make sure they have these things with them. Just like today-we wouldn’t think about leaving the house without our purse, wallet or cell phone. God is saying, ‘you make sure you don’t forget the things that are most important to you. Well, what does that say about how you feel about me if you are ‘forgetting’ to read your bible or pray or go to church?’
Often times this happens because of sin. If we start giving in to temptations then we are going to start becoming forgetful. If our lust for sin is rekindled then our love for God will grow cold. If love for God grows cold then our bitterness towards God and the things of God and the people of God will grow hot. If this is happening then we have forgotten all the ways God has blessed us. And if we stay in this mindset then we are spiraling out of control; falling head-first into destruction. When we forget God’s blessings we will reap the consequences.
4) We need to remember to pay it forward.
Deut. 24:17-22, “Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this. When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this.”
We need to remember where we came from and remember what the Lord has done in our lives. One of the best ways we can tell if we truly appreciate what the Lord has done for us is when we bless someone else; especially when it’s someone who can’t pay us back.
This idea of paying it forward works spiritually as well as practically. If we are truly grateful that we have been born again we will in turn pay it forward by sharing the gospel so that others can have the same opportunity as we did when someone cared enough to share it with us. We need to reach out to others with the love of Christ, not looking down on them, but remembering that at one time we too were unsaved.
Eph. 2:1-5, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”
We were once slaves in Egypt and God has set us free. It’s important that we never forget that. We need to remember to pay it forward and bless others as we have been blessed by God.
God wanted his people to remember some things as they embarked on a new journey into the Promised Land. His purpose is no different for us today. God wants to make sure we remember his commands, his victories and his blessings and he wants us to remember to pay it forward so that someone else can experience God’s grace.
