repetition. redundancies. reiteration.
Deuteronomy 6:4-12 "Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them...Tie them...Write them...
When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Issac and Jacob, to give you - a land with large flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant - then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery."
Do you ever find that sometimes after hearing or reading something, what could be the 100th or the 3rd time, the reminder of the same thing comes across so new and fresh? Never think just because you've heard something before you know it all or can't learn anything knew because "yeah yeah I've heard or read this"
The Israelites are a great example of often forgetting who God is, what He has done, what He has commanded, and what He has promised. This led them to be wilderness wanderers. It is so easy to read the Bible and all the "moral meltdowns" in there and say "why couldn't they remember God"?
Romans 15:4 "For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
I think more than often we are just the same, if not more forgetful. We have even more material resources (Bible, messages, seminars, books, teaching, podcasts, illustrations, etc) all reiterated to us and available. Because of that we can become passive in our responsibility to learn, grow, remember, and point the responsibility on others to do that for us. As Paul would say, may it never be!
Deuteronomy 8:2 "Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert for forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands."
Remember the refining moments in your walk, they may be painful, but are intended to strengthen and deepen our faith. If we could only remember Him and His purposes in the sanctifying process we would end up looking more like Him. Job 23:10 "when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold."
Deuteronomy 8:18 "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."
Remember who is the ultimate provider and giver of life and things. It is nothing on our own merit but from His undeserving grace.
Deuteronomy 15:15 "Remember that you were salves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you." (16:12; 24:18,22)
Deuteronomy 32:7 "Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past."
Remember where you came from, what darkness God has called you out of what you are now called into.
Numbers 15:39 "You will have these tassels (on the priests' garments) 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." 1 John 2:16
1 Chronicles 16:12,15 "Remember the wonders He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He pronounced...He remembers His covenant forever, the word He commanded, for a thousand generations."
We should remember in response to Him being a covenant keeping God.
Psalm 78:34-36 "Whenever God slew them, they would seek Him; they eagerly turned to Him again. They remembered that God was their Rock, that God most High was their Redeemer. But then they would flatter Him with their mouths, lying to Him with their tongues; their hearts were not loyal to Him, they were not faithful to His covenant." v.38-39 - But HE remembers us
Remember who is your Rock and do not give into the lies that other things can fulfill only what God was intended to fulfill. Be cautious of idols in your life, making good things absolute things, and uproot them and replace with a pure devotion, affection, and gratitude for the finished work of Christ.
Psalm 103:17-18 "But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear Him, and His righteousness with their children's children - with those who keep His covenant and remember to obey His precepts."
Psalm 111:4 "He has caused His wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate." (Romans 1:19-20, Psalm 145))
Isaiah 46:8 "Remember this, fix it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels. Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me." (Colossians 1:1-3)
When we don't remember...we become wilderness wanderers, empty, hungry, vulnerable, aimless, hostile of mind, alienated, worldly thinking and we loose sight and perspective
When Israel remembered, the response .... repentance, changed life, new direction, gratitude, greater faithfulness, trust, obedience, victory over sin and enemies, provided for, cared for
When God remembers...He keeps His covenant of love, hears our cry for deliverance, takes action, is merciful, compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love, gracious
What are your remembrances..?
God gives guidance in how to remember, from the Deut 6 scripture mentioned at the beginning:
"be upon your hearts" - commit scripture to memory
"Impress them on your children. Talk about them..." - Whoever your children are - actual kids or maybe younger believers who need training and instruction, in the process of raising up other believers you are raised up as well as you are dependent on Him. He shepherds us so we can shepherd others. Talking and processing with other believers I find such a great way to talk thru the truths of the Bible and the implications for our lives from those conversations. People can bring different perspectives and understanding that I may be lacking and can point out/direct/correct areas in my life that I may be blind to. Community is edifying.
"Tie them..." - the idea of having them in front of you all the time. This can look like daily spending time in the Word. This is in the morning for me so I can chew on the Word and let is sink deeply during the day. What things are you putting before your eyes and mind? We are to set out minds on things above (Col. 3:2), things that points to Christ and eternity - the Word, worship music, good sound books, podcast of sermons, good conversations...
"Write them..." - this is journaling for me. I can try and internalize all I want but there is something about writing my thoughts, prayers, praises, challenges, fears, on paper that solidifies it and allows me to really understand myself and what God has called me into.
May we use repetition. redundancies. reiteration. to remember all our days.
Deuteronomy 17:18-19 "When [a king] takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees."
Posted in: on Wednesday, November 3, 2010 at
