The Bible is filled with reminders to “remember.” Yet, have you noticed how many times God’s people get themselves in deep trouble because they forget?
Throughout the Old Testament we see the disastrous effects of God’s people failing to remember the great works of the Lord. Read through almost any part of Israel’s story and you will see a direct link between forgetfulness and unfaithfulness. Consider the period of the Judges: God mightily brought his people into the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua. And God told Joshua that they must meditate on his Word day and night and be careful to do what was written in it (Joshua 1:8). Yet, somewhere along the way, they forgot—and stopped remembering and meditating. After Joshua died, the people went on with their lives and forgot God’s laws. They forgot the Lord and the great works he did for them, and this resulted in everyone doing what was right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25).
Remembering God’s Great Works Keeps Us Faithful.
Do you need a renewed motivation to walk in faithfulness? Remember the great works of the Lord and anticipate the great works he is yet to do.
The Psalmist reminds us to consider all that the Lord has done and meditate on it (Psalm 77:11–12). We are to bless the Lord and “forget not his benefits” (Psalm 103:2). As Christians, when we remember the Lord and what he has done, our response will be to trust him, because he is good. When we take God at his Word, we can walk in obedience trusting that the God who was faithful in the past will be faithful in the future.
The Bible Models Rhythms of Remembrance and Anticipation.
God structured Israel’s calendar year so that his people would remember how he faithfully provided for them. He wanted to help them remember!
Throughout the year, the Jewish feasts were regular reminders of the great works of God. With feasting and celebration, the people of Israel were to stop their day-to-day work to remember the mighty hand of the Lord. They would also sing about the great works of the Lord. Moses, Miriam, Deborah, Barak, and David all sang songs celebrating how God protected them. Hannah joyfully sang about God’s faithful provision. God’s people would remind each other of his promises and they’d encourage one another to anticipate the day the promises would surely be fulfilled.
Today, under the new covenant, inaugurated in the blood of the Son of God, God is still asking us to remember. One way we remember is through the sacraments he has given to the local church.
Baptism is a picture of the finished work of Christ. We are to look at the changed life of this new son or daughter of God and see what God has done. We participate in the Lord’s Supper in “remembrance” of Christ’s broken body and his blood shed for sinners. We are to remember the One who gave his life as a ransom for many and joyfully anticipate his promised return. And, we sing! We sing songs and hymns and spiritual songs, both in worship to God and for encouragement to our brothers and sisters, for the strengthening of God’s people.
This Christmas Season Build New Rhythms of Remembrance and Anticipation.
Christmas is a time to remember. Yet, there are times I have found myself halfway through the month of December and realized I have not yet slowed down enough to even read the Christmas story. We spend the month of December shopping, baking, wrapping, and hosting. We build traditions of taking family to special places and decorating in special ways. Sometimes, in the midst of it all, we are so busy “celebrating Christmas” that we fail to celebrate and worship the long-awaited One who came, in the flesh, to redeem his people.
Praise God that we can build new rhythms this year. We can still our busy minds, and ask God to open our hearts to the beauty of the incarnation. We can tell the Christmas story again and again—to someone who needs to remember, or to someone who needs to hear it for the very first time. May our remembrance lead to faithful obedience to our King as we joyfully anticipate his promised return. This Christmas, let’s pull out the Christmas carols early. Let’s remember and sing!
Joy to the world the Lord is come
Let earth receive her king
Let every heart prepare Him room
And let heaven and nature sing!
The World Rejoices
The World Rejoices is a practical resource for individuals and families, encouraging a slower December pace while counting down the days to Christmas. Each short daily reflection and Scripture reading from the first two chapters of the Gospel of Luke guides you toward a deeper connection with Jesus and a meaningful understanding of the Christmas story. Engaging activities interspersed throughout the book will give you a few minutes to unwind and enjoy the season.
