How often have I said the words remind me? It seems the older I get the more I need reminders. In the physical realm I log reminders on my phone, I place notes on my google calendar on my computer, and I tell others to remind me of things. In the spiritual world, we who are Christ’s followers have the Holy Spirit to bring things to our memory. He will bring the teaching of Christ to our memory just when we need it. If we have heard or studied a particular passage and a time arises when we need it, He will remind us of it. Many times, in my own life I have had this happen when I was witnessing to someone about the saving power of Christ. He has also brought scripture to my mind when I was tempted, or when trying to comfort someone in distress.
John 14:26 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
In the Old Testament, the word remember is used 121 times. In Exodus 13:3, Moses is reminding the Israelites to remember the day he led them out of bondage from the Egyptians. He wanted them to understand God led and provided for them. We need to remind ourselves often that all we are and all we have, are gifts from God.
Exodus 13:3 “And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.”
In Deuteronomy 9:7, God reminded them of their rebellion and how they provoked Him to wrath, yet He withheld from wiping them off the face of the earth. It is also good for us to remind ourselves of God’s goodness. How He forgives and doesn’t hold those sins against us once we repent. It is good to remind ourselves that it is only by grace that we are saved from eternity in Hell. It is good to remember that we have not merited anything it is all a gift from God.
Deuteronomy 9:7 “Remember, and forget not, how thou provoked the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the LORD.”
In Matthew 16:9, even the disciples who were physically with Him needed to be reminded of who He was and His power. They had been with Him when He fed the five thousand with the little boy’s lunch. They had witnessed His miracles, yet they questioned among themselves because they had forgotten to get bread before they got on the ship. They only had one loaf of bread among them. In verse 6 Jesus tells them to “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” Since leaven was an important ingredient of bread, they thought he was bringing their lack of bread to their attention. They had missed the point. In verses 8-9 Jesus rebukes them for their lack of remembering what He had done for them before. They were looking at his words and applying them to the physical realm, but Jesus was making a spiritual application. They needed to remember who they were with and what He had done in the past.
Matthew 16:5-9 “And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets ye took up?”
We also need to remember what God has done and will do for us. In Hebrews 8:12, we are to remember that He is merciful and when we repent, He will remember our sins no more. He will not hold them against us. When we don’t remember we become ungrateful.
Hebrews 8:12 “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”
We need to remember that Jesus came to earth to be born of a virgin, live as a man, and die for our sins on a cruel cross. All that He endured here on earth was for us. It is up to us to learn, obey, remember, and remind others of all the riches we have in Christ.
My prayer today is “Lord, remind me of your grace and your mercy on me. Teach me to live according to your word. Help me to remind others of your love for them. Remind me each day and everywhere I go, that everyone I come in contact with is someone you loved enough to die for.”
What do you need to be reminded of today?
