We All Need Reminders!
A common human flaw is often manifested in people’s short memory. A troubling aspect of that is a person’s proclivity to forget their good experiences rather than the evil which also happens to them. Such was the case, repeatedly, among the Hebrews, in many periods of the gradual, historical development of their identity as a people.
En route to the promised land, God did so much for His chosen ones, in providing for their needs in the desert, in responding to their specific petitions, and in showing His mercy in so many other wondrous ways. Yet, whenever anything failed in their experience, they promptly complained, easily forgetting God’s prior, tangible faithfulness to them.
Among Christians, unfortunately,the same story appears to repeat itself. Despite all that God has accomplished on behalf of His own in the past, continues to provide in the present, and promises to supply into the future, many believers appear to suffer from spiritual amnesia. They grumble for not recognizing concrete divine favors!
This may be a reason why in the Bible the verb “remember” appears so often, and the expression “forget not” also punctuates many passages of Holy Scripture.
People often need to be in the right place in order to remember certain things with greater depth of understanding. Throughout history many memorials have been erected to aid a people to remember part of their national heritage. Among God’s chosen people, the Jews, altars were set up to recognize God’s goodness in some way, His victory in their behalf, or any other expression of His favor. This remains the case in the 21st century, with buildings, monuments, statues, and other tangible signs to aid people in remembering something important, worthy of celebration.
For Christians of all ages, the structure of a local church is, indeed, the place which reminds the faithful of God’s unchanging love, where His Truth is faithfully taught and proclaimed, where His saints gather weekly to reaffirm His goodness, to worship Him in spirit and in truth, as well as to declare and experience “the communion of the saints.”
Indeed, the Church remains the most significant institution on earth, as the place where God’s warnings and promises are sounded and explained. People who are too often away, derelict in church attendance, will suffer unnecessarily the unfortunate consequences of their negligence.
Yet, it is in the congregation, via all its ministries, that one’s faith is nurtured and aided in maintaining its vitality, and where the necessary reminders are offered with clarity and frequency, to ensure that God’s people remain on course, always advancing in understanding and in the practice of divine Truth, till they inherit what is ultimately promised to them!
Sadly, some Christians arrogantly claim to know everything there is to be known about the faith and, thus fail to practice certain spiritual requisites and exercises. But those who don’t want any reminders, are prone to make mistakes repeatedly and unnecessarily. many of which will lead to inevitable spiritual retardation and, consequently, to a weak and unproductive faith. Let us not “forget all His benefits” nor the “assembling of ourselves together” while we can! Rebuild your memory and find new ways to remember what will empower you to live with joy in the present!
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:35 pm
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