Remembering with Intention

Posted on: November 22nd, 2012 by Laurie Coombs

All too often, we forget what God has done for us. Our memories are selective. I was listening to a sermon on podcast by Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina recently. In it, he said we remember what we ought to forget and forget that which we need to remember. I don’t know about you, but I certainly know this is true in my life.

All throughout the book of Deuteronomy, God tells us through His word that we must intentionally remember. Remember who He is. Remember what He has done. Remember His faithfulness, His love, His mercy and grace. Remember.

Deuteronomy 6:10-13 says this:

“And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—with great and good cities that you did not build, and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you eat and are full,then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear…” (emphasis, mine).

What does your Egypt look like? We all have one. It’s the place where Jesus found you when you were saved. It’s the yolk of slavery you were set free from. I think you all know mine, so I won’t get into that here, but honestly, it is so important to look back to where we came from. But most importantly, we need to remember not only what God did but who He is, and to worship Him as He is worthy of our worship.

On this Thanksgiving Day, I choose to intentionally recall the mercies of our Lord and to take a moment or two, away from all the busyness of the holiday season, to allow my soul to bless the Lord with my thankful heart. I don’t think I can say it any better than David in Psalm 103:

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
²Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
³who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
⁴who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
⁵who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

⁶The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
⁷He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
⁸The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
⁹He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
¹⁰He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
¹²as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
¹³As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
¹⁴For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.

¹⁵As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
¹⁶for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
¹⁷But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children,
¹⁸to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
¹⁹The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.

²⁰Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
²¹Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!
²²Bless the Lord, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!

I pray for blessings and that you cultivate a thankful heart today as we celebrate the faithfulness of our God!

Happy Thanksgiving!

{Remember the Lord’s goodness and mercy and grace.}