Do you remember?

The older we get, the more there is to remember. The passage of time can blur or distort past events, softening the heartaches and from time to time shifting the facts. As a person who keeps a journal, I am occasionally surprised when I revisit an event and realize there’s more, or less, to the story than in my memories.

I think it’s vital that we remember special events, especially as they relate to our spiritual growth. It’s not an easy thing to do and it isn’t something that can be completed in a short amount of time. Yet, the hard work is worth it.

You see, even documenting painful experiences can give us a glimpse of how the Creator of the universe comes close to the brokenhearted. For me, it’s been during the most heartbreaking times that I’ve discovered just how much God comforted me and how much I grew spiritually.

Everyone will face the death of a loved one, the threat of disease, and all kinds of losses. We wonder how we will carry on. I can share from personal experience – I believed I couldn’t cope with those things, but I did. Certainly, I felt grief and suffering but God gave me strength to not only survive the deep darkness of immense sorrow, but a supernatural peace.

And those sorrowful experiences where God stepped in have been crucial in strengthening my faith. Let’s face it, if our Creator can get us through devastating loss, He can guide us in day-to-day living lives full of stress and anxiety.

The important thing is to remember.

I would encourage you to take the time and develop what I call life markers. I started with major milestones, so to speak, and then filled in other things in as I remembered.

I must confess, I was amazed to
see God’s footprints more clearly in the landscapes of my grief-stricken darkness.

The more I worked on my life markers, the more I saw God’s presence in my life, and the more I trusted Him.

There are plenty of scriptures encouraging us to remember God’s laws, words, and comfort. Learning about different people in the Bible shows how others were able to reflect on all that God had done for them. One of the more interesting, and possibly less known, is Asaph. You’ll find him in the Psalms.

Asaph was one of David’s choir leaders and is credited with Psalms 73-83. The first psalm he wrote is one many could probably identify with. I particularly like him because
he’s brutally honest in asking why life is so unfair.

His words in Psalm 77 are a beautiful reminder that even in the darkest of times, God’s footprints across our hearts and lives brings us to a place of refuge and sanctuary.

“I recall all you have done, O Lord. I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about them. O God, your ways are holy. Is there any god as mighty as you? You are the God of miracles and wonders!” Psalm 77:11-14, NLT.

If you remember nothing else, remember this:
Satan would like nothing better than for us to forget God’s presence in our lives.

Blessings, Francine


SPECIAL NOTE: I pray that each commentary I write here will bless you, but please understand that some are built on previous entries. I’ve tried to build a Biblical basis from which my thoughts are developed. It’s important that you understand “my words” aren’t the end of the story, so to speak. I would encourage you to check out previous entries if you have questions concerning what I’ve written. Also, I’ve included links to several web sites that can provide much more detailed guidance than I’m able to do here. Check out “Running Empty” or “Power to Change” (see list of links to the right). For more in-depth study, you can visit “Now Try God” at http://www.nowtrygod.com or “New Christian Life” at http://newchristian.com as additional resources. The bottom line – don’t accept what I say as gospel. That’s what the Bible is for. An excellent on-line resource is BibleGateway.com at http://www.biblegateway.com.

Another good site is Crossmap, at http://crossmap.com and not just because my inspirational messages can now be found there. This organization, which has been running since 2000, serves the Christian community as a web portal. There are great columns by talented nationally known writers and pastors, a wide variety of other Christian sites, news, and commentaries.
As always, I welcome your comments or you can contact me at tenderheartaz@yahoo.com

3 comments:

    On 1:12 PM David Meigs said...

    Amen, journaling is a great idea. It’s helped me to discover the hand of God in the past when I thought everything was in chaos.

    Keep up the excellent devotions!

     
    On 1:56 PM Magdaleine said...

    So often, throughout the Old Testament and even in the New, the people are reminded of their past. The story of leaving Egypt, of wandering in the desert and the associated stories are repeated numerous times in the Bible. Why? Because it's so important to remember what God has done.

    In addition to journalling as a way of remembering, we can use objects as reminders or symbols of times God has come powerfully into our lives or of commitments we've made to Him. The wedding ring is an obvious symbol. I have a framed postage stamp picturing the Aurora Borealis to remind me of a time when God seemed to celebrate something He had just done in my life. It reminds me of the verse in Zephaniah where God says He dances over us with singing. My best friend gave me an alabaster box which I've filled with spikenard as a reminder of how, like Mary Magdalene, I want to be extravagantly devoted to and poured out for Jesus. There are many more such symbols I use to thank and praise God and remember.

    I have a small housekeeping suggestion. In this post and frequently in your posts you add a special note. Why not add that to your sidebar so it's always there for people to see?

     
    On 11:03 PM Rulan said...

    So true. We need to remember what the Lord has done for us. He amazes me so many times. In the hard times, all I need to do is to look back and I see what He has already done and I know He is with me.

     
 
2005-2009 Francine Biere. All rights reserved. | Contact