Remember
I Chronicles 16:14-15
Our country has set aside this day as Memorial Day, a time when we honor those who had died in a war fighting to establish or preserve our freedoms. Without remembering the past we become helpless to face the challenges of the future.
In our text, David is bringing the ark of covenant into Jerusalem when he breaks out in a song of praise and admonishes us to “remember God’s covenants”. Deut 32:7 states “remember the days of old”. God has given us monuments to help us remember> to the nation of Israel He has given them offerings, sacrifices and national festivals, all are tangible reminders to the nation of their relationship to God. To the church He has given a living memorial of communion, “this do in remembrance of me”. When we forget we are prone to every poor decision imaginable. That kind of stumbling drains us of all our passion for God, therefore we need to remember.
Remember it is all about God, not about us. In the sixties the prevailing thought was that a new age was dawning. It did not happen, why? – God was left out. Now consider Moses, with 3 million people, there was no humanly possible way for him to care for them. But God could and did. Consider Gideon, God told him to decrease the size of his army. He did and God defeated the enemy. It is all about God. He is eternal (Psa 90:2), His is unchanging (Heb 13:8). He is love (I John 4:8), He is perfect (Matt 5:48), He is righteous (Psa 145:17), He is all powerful (Psa 33:6-9), He is all knowing (Heb 4:13).
Remember it is all about what we know about our God. When we don’t know what to do we need to focus on what we do know? In desperate times, “I know my Redeemer lives” (Job 19:25-26). When in a stressful situation, “I know that it will turn out for my deliverance” (Phil 1:19). When in a life threatening situation “I know whom I have believe .. To keep what I have committed unto Him” (II Tim 1:12).
Remember the God who sent His son to redeem us.