Remember to Remember
Remember to Remember
Earlier this week we as a nation celebrated one of our most important holidays. Honestly, it probably is our most important holiday, because without it, none of the other holidays would even exist, let alone our country. Memorial Day is of the utmost significance and importance because without the sacrifice of countless soldiers and family members, there is no United States.
In an age where gratitude for that kind of sacrifice is looked down on, I find it even more important to honor and pray for those that paid the highest of price for the freedoms we enjoy and may even take for granted. And if you don’t give gratitude, you may be taking for granted. One way, and maybe the best way, that we can all honor those who have sacrificed so much is to simply remember them. When we remember them, they are not forgotten. And if they are not forgotten, their sacrifice, whatever the cost, is also not forgotten.
Now, this blog isn’t just a pro-military print; it’s also about remembering to remember. There are many things we should remember in life. Your kids’ birthdays. Your anniversary. Moving clothes over from the washer to the dryer so they don’t get that sat-too-long kind of stink that you then have to explain to your spouse why their clothes smell like that and still aren’t yet dry causing you to be later to the anniversary dinner that you had to scramble to put together because you - once again - failed to remember… I might be getting off topic, but you get the point.
When you fail to remember, you run the risk of forgetting. Read that line again, but slower this time. Let it sink in a little. When you fail to remember, you run the risk of forgetting.
Nothing could be more true than the countless things that God has done for us throughout our lives. Many of those things we may never know or even be aware of. Like each breath that we take, or each new day we wake up that wasn’t promised to us when we went to sleep.
Throughout the Old Testament, God designed and established a practice to help His people with this very problem of forgetfulness. He told them to build altars and monuments. The altars built for sacrifice by one generation became monuments to learn and remember God’s faithfulness to those that came before and give faith to those that were yet to come.
Why is it that so many have fallen out of practice of this powerful program? No, I’m not saying you need to build a monument of twelve stones in your backyard to commemorate each time God has remained faithful to you. Honestly, I don’t even think anyone would have a large enough backyard to do such a thing. God has done infinitely more for each of us than we could ever imagine.
One thing I started, and highly suggest to anyone interested, is a folder in my phone for all the blessings God has given me. I read back over them from time to time so that I don’t forget them. It also helps to remind me that if God did those things, He will work miracles and blessings in my future too. Plus having a file on my phone saves me a lot of time, money, and backyard space trying to build rock monuments.
The altars and monuments that God told His people to build had the exact same function as the file on my phone: to remember and to teach. Each generation was to retell the story to their children and their children’s children whenever they would pass the altar or monument. Each generation was to pass down both the information and the lesson to the next, essentially ensuring that both would continue well into the future. The problem is, however, if you fail to do this, the lesson will lessen.
God’s purpose for building monuments is for building faith. And often times, faith is built through obedience. Monuments are material memorials of the things God has done. They build faith for what’s ahead. The more we say yes to God, the easier it becomes to say yes to God. Faith is trust. Trust is built by obedience. Obedience builds faith. The cyclical circle continues.
When we search the stories of the Old Testament, we find that Abraham built them. Jacob built them. Moses built them. Solomon built statues on either side of the Red Sea where the Israelites crossed. Altars were used then turned into memorials to commemorate and consecrate and endless truth about our eternal God… He hasn’t failed yet…
Today and tomorrow, and when tomorrow turns into today, remember the people who have sacrificed for you. Remember the people God has put in your life. Remember the things God has done for those people that He has put in your life. Second hand faith can be very powerful. Remember the things in your past that God has done for you - the things He’s brought you to and brought you through.
Remember to remember these things for they are the altars and monuments that God has given you to share with others and the next generation.
So hand out some second hand faith.
And remember to remember.
Earlier this week we as a nation celebrated one of our most important holidays. Honestly, it probably is our most important holiday, because without it, none of the other holidays would even exist, let alone our country. Memorial Day is of the utmost significance and importance because without the sacrifice of countless soldiers and family members, there is no United States.
In an age where gratitude for that kind of sacrifice is looked down on, I find it even more important to honor and pray for those that paid the highest of price for the freedoms we enjoy and may even take for granted. And if you don’t give gratitude, you may be taking for granted. One way, and maybe the best way, that we can all honor those who have sacrificed so much is to simply remember them. When we remember them, they are not forgotten. And if they are not forgotten, their sacrifice, whatever the cost, is also not forgotten.
Now, this blog isn’t just a pro-military print; it’s also about remembering to remember. There are many things we should remember in life. Your kids’ birthdays. Your anniversary. Moving clothes over from the washer to the dryer so they don’t get that sat-too-long kind of stink that you then have to explain to your spouse why their clothes smell like that and still aren’t yet dry causing you to be later to the anniversary dinner that you had to scramble to put together because you - once again - failed to remember… I might be getting off topic, but you get the point.
When you fail to remember, you run the risk of forgetting. Read that line again, but slower this time. Let it sink in a little. When you fail to remember, you run the risk of forgetting.
Nothing could be more true than the countless things that God has done for us throughout our lives. Many of those things we may never know or even be aware of. Like each breath that we take, or each new day we wake up that wasn’t promised to us when we went to sleep.
Throughout the Old Testament, God designed and established a practice to help His people with this very problem of forgetfulness. He told them to build altars and monuments. The altars built for sacrifice by one generation became monuments to learn and remember God’s faithfulness to those that came before and give faith to those that were yet to come.
Why is it that so many have fallen out of practice of this powerful program? No, I’m not saying you need to build a monument of twelve stones in your backyard to commemorate each time God has remained faithful to you. Honestly, I don’t even think anyone would have a large enough backyard to do such a thing. God has done infinitely more for each of us than we could ever imagine.
One thing I started, and highly suggest to anyone interested, is a folder in my phone for all the blessings God has given me. I read back over them from time to time so that I don’t forget them. It also helps to remind me that if God did those things, He will work miracles and blessings in my future too. Plus having a file on my phone saves me a lot of time, money, and backyard space trying to build rock monuments.
The altars and monuments that God told His people to build had the exact same function as the file on my phone: to remember and to teach. Each generation was to retell the story to their children and their children’s children whenever they would pass the altar or monument. Each generation was to pass down both the information and the lesson to the next, essentially ensuring that both would continue well into the future. The problem is, however, if you fail to do this, the lesson will lessen.
God’s purpose for building monuments is for building faith. And often times, faith is built through obedience. Monuments are material memorials of the things God has done. They build faith for what’s ahead. The more we say yes to God, the easier it becomes to say yes to God. Faith is trust. Trust is built by obedience. Obedience builds faith. The cyclical circle continues.
When we search the stories of the Old Testament, we find that Abraham built them. Jacob built them. Moses built them. Solomon built statues on either side of the Red Sea where the Israelites crossed. Altars were used then turned into memorials to commemorate and consecrate and endless truth about our eternal God… He hasn’t failed yet…
Today and tomorrow, and when tomorrow turns into today, remember the people who have sacrificed for you. Remember the people God has put in your life. Remember the things God has done for those people that He has put in your life. Second hand faith can be very powerful. Remember the things in your past that God has done for you - the things He’s brought you to and brought you through.
Remember to remember these things for they are the altars and monuments that God has given you to share with others and the next generation.
So hand out some second hand faith.
And remember to remember.
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