Recall Who He Is and What He Has Done
I don’t know about you, but I need reminding often. I forget things so quickly. They go in one ear and out the other. Do you struggle with that? I think we certainly all do in our human nature. And I believe the writers of the New Testament knew that as well. Paul and Peter both wrote to tell the early Church to recall God’s truths. (2 Peter 1:12-13, Romans 15:15)
The disciples also knew they needed reminding. They spent three years physically walking with Jesus, and it’s clear they always required a lot of reminders from our Lord. They knew what Jesus had taught them; they could indeed repeat it. However, many times throughout their days, He reminded them. It’s almost like they needed a good shake to recall His teachings.
Pastor Bill has shared this quote from Samuel Johnson several times, and I think it applies. “People need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed.”
Amen to that. If you have kids, you know this is true.
Many things during our days (especially our smartphones) distract us from the truth, and we naturally think about other things.
Reminders in Life
Peter and Paul encouraged their readers that we all need reminders.
Reminders of God’s goodness are critical when life is hard. We also need reminders of God’s grace and forgiveness when we stumble. Equally important, we need reminders of His holiness when we are sinful idiots.
We certainly need reminders of God’s provision when finances are tight. Without a doubt, we need a reminder of God’s faithfulness when we are sinned against. And surely, we need a reminder of His peace when anxious.
We absolutely need reminders of God’s closeness when we are lonely. At the same time, we need reminders of God’s care when we grieve and God’s promises when we doubt.
Ways to Recall His Goodness
Simply put, we must recall who God is and what He has done.
So, how do we do that? How do we remind ourselves? This isn’t an exhaustive list, but these are some ways to recall God’s truth.
Read God’s Word (Psalm 143:8; Deuteronomy 6:8-9)
Let’s dig into God’s Word and decrees. As Deuteronomy 6 says, we should also plaster them around our houses and lives. They’ll remind us daily.
Pray (Hebrews 4:16; Psalm 3:4)
We can pray, cry out, and commune with the Holy Spirit. As a result, it reminds us that we can (and should) “approach the Throne of Grace with confidence” (as Hebrews 4 says).
Meditate (Psalm 63:5-8; Psalm 1:1-2)
We should meditate on God, His Word, and His faithfulness in our lives. In the morning, in the day, in the night. It helps us to recall His truth.
Be in Fellowship (Hebrews 10:25; Colossians 3:16)
Fellowship with Believers should be a priority in our lives. Being with the Body of Christ allows us to be reminded of and spurred on by truth.
Serve Others (Acts 20:35; Proverbs 11:25)
Taking our eyes off ourselves reminds us of Jesus’ example. Serving others turns our attention from ourselves to God’s ways.
May we remember, like Asaph, to recall all that the Lord has done. (Psalm 77:11-15)
Grace and peace,
Posted in A Word from the Pastor by Caleb Yetton