If we were to sum up the message of the Bible with one word, that word might be “remember”. From cover to cover, God tells us to remember. To remember Him, to remember His commands, the Hebrews regularly made piles of rocks to remember what God had done in a certain place, Jesus at His last Passover said to His disciples, “Do this in remembrance of Me”, and the first communion occurred. We see God’s message of remembrance in the Exodus story as well, from beginning to end, beginning with Pharaoh:
“Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.“ (Exodus 1:8)
“So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice of them. “ (Exodus 2:24-25)
“He said also, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.“ (Exodus 3:6)
The Exodus story begins when the Pharaoh that knew Joseph died, and we are told that the new Pharaoh did not remember Joseph and what he had done for Egypt (Exodus 1:8). All that Joseph had done was forgotten, and Joseph’s family was no longer seen as a group of people to be appreciated and cared for, but rather a burden and a danger. This led Pharaoh to enslave the Hebrews, and to begin a campaign to permanently destroy them by killing the male babies (to be Hebrew you had to have a Hebrew father). It is the first recorded act of a nation attempting to destroy the Hebrew people, which we will cover in the future. What is important to notice for now is that Pharaoh did not remember, and it ended up costing him a lot.
Later in the story, we read that “God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” (Exodus 2:24). Here we learn that God remembers His covenant with the Hebrew patriarchs, and takes notice of the terrible situation the children of Israel are enduring in Egypt. God is a God who remembers. He remembers His promises to us. In John chapter 1 we read:
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13)
God tells us in His word that anyone who simply believes in the name of Jesus will become “children of God”. It is good to know that we have a God who remembers and who stands behind His word. God remembers us, and we can rest in this. When we find ourselves in difficult times, we can cry out to God, and He will remember us, and carry us through the difficulties we face in life. When we need Him to show up, we can ask Him to remember us, to remember His promises to us, and He will show up.
When God and Moses are interacting at the burning bush, and God tells Moses that He is the God of his fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, this causes Moses to remember what he knows about God. His reaction is to hide his face. (Exodus 3:6) He was afraid to look at God. Moses appears to realize at this point that it is the God of creation that he has heard about that is now speaking with him, and he is afraid. He remembers. He remembers what he has learned about this God of his fathers. We do not know exactly what Moses knew about God at this point, but it was clearly enough for him to be terrified. This is like a born again moment for Moses, when he realizes his sinfulness and God’s holiness and power. Moses is changed from this point on. His life will never be the same. He has come into direct contact with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and he is about to receive his commission from God to return to Egypt and deliver the people of Israel from the hands of the tyrant Pharaoh.
Remembering is a major theme in the bible. And unlike elephants, we appear to be very forgetful. God calls us to remember Him, to remember what He has done for us, what He has done in ancient times, His commands to us, His word to us, His promises to us. He wants us to remember that it is Him who has called us, who has saved us, and who will deliver us from death and judgment. He wants us to remember that He sacrificed His Son on the cross for our salvation, that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, and He is now seated at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us. He wants us to remember He is coming back, and that we are to be ready to meet Him, either at our death or at His return, whichever comes first. Our success in this life as Christians depends to some degree on our ability to remember.
What are some of the things in your life that you have forgotten? Do you remember what God did in your life to set you free from sin when you were born again? What are some of the ways God has transformed your life since you were born again? How has God changed you over the years? Who has He used to teach you His ways?
Have you met God like Moses did, and been born again? Have you had a born again experience where you realized your sinfulness and God’s holiness? If not, God is still calling you from His “burning bush” Jesus. What is keeping you from responding to Him?
What about the people in your life? Do you remember that your wife bore your children and appreciate her for that? Do you remember that person in your life who mentored you or coached you when you were young and helped you become the person you are today? Do you remember the people who help you at work every week and enable you to do the work you do? Do you remember all that your parents did to help you grow up when you were a child? Who are the people in your life that you need to remember and show appreciation to?
At Thanksgiving it is common to remember the things we are thankful for. So I want to challenge you to send a text to five people that you are thankful for, and tell them that you are thankful for them. If you remember something in particular that they did, you might even mention it and thank them for it. We were asked to do this the other day in a meeting I was in, and it is amazing. I encourage you to do this today.
I also want to challenge you to thank God for all that He has done in your life. Remember all of the things He has done in your life to bring you to this day. Maybe even write some of them down. One of the primary messages of the Bible is for us to remember. In Deuteronomy 6 we are told to put God’s word on the doorpost of our house, and upon our gate, so that we remember God when we leave each day (at the gate), and when we return home (on the doorpost). What is something that you could do to remind you of God each morning when you leave, and each afternoon when you come home? What are some ways that remembering God during the day and at home will impact your life?
What if you took just one day and tried to remember God all day long on that day, without drifting off into something else? Imagine what it would be like to be aware of God all day long. How would that change me? How would that change my interactions with others? How would that change my marriage? My relationship with my children? My relationship with my co-workers and boss?
I encourage you to remember. Remember God, what He has done in your life, and remember others and what they have done in your life as well. This week I challenge you to remember, and to show your appreciation in some way to those who have been a part of your life. As Nike would say, “just do it”.
Lord God almighty, I come before you in Jesus name, and I confess that I forget you every day. I get caught up in work, in sports, in chores, watching movies, surfing the internet, and in many other things every day. I regularly forget You and what You have done for me. I ask that You would help me to remember You every day, and that all day long I would be aware of Your presence. I also confess that I forget what others have done for me, and do not appreciate them as I should. I ask for forgiveness for this as well, and ask that you would inspire me to reach out to them and tell them I appreciate them and am thankful for them. Help me to remember. In Jesus name I pray, amen.
“Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me,” (Isaiah 46:9)
“And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.” (Deuteronomy 8:2)
“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.” (Psalm 77:11)
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” (Exodus 20:8)
“Remember and do not forget how you provoked the Lord your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 9:7)
“Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,” (Psalm 105:5)
“When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.” (Jonah 2:7)
“And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he 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)
“Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;” (Ecclesiastes 12:1)
“Remember His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations,” (1 Chronicles 16:15)
“Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” (Revelation 2:5)
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.” (Isaiah 49:15-16)
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26)
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