Remembering: A Forgotten Practice of Faith
One word has echoed through my heart lately—a word that God repeatedly speaks to His people throughout Scripture: Remember. It seems so simple, so small, yet this word carries a weight of spiritual significance that we often overlook. As I reflected on an old journal entry from many years ago, I was reminded (ironically) just how central this call to remember is to our walk with Christ. I’d like to share with you a few thoughts on why this word is so crucial to the Christian life.
In the Old Testament, the call to remember is everywhere. Time and again, God instructs Israel to recall His mighty deeds, His covenant promises, and His steadfast love. Consider how the Passover itself was instituted as an act of remembrance—“When your children ask, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, for He passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt’” (Exodus 12:26-27). It was not just a ritual for the sake of ceremony. It was a divine command to look back, to remember, and to let that memory shape the present.
But why this constant reminder? Why did God so often tell His people to remember? The answer is simple: because we forget. We are prone to spiritual amnesia. The pressures of life, the struggles we face, and the anxieties of the future can cloud our memories of God’s faithfulness. We lose sight of what He has done, who He is, and who we are in Him.
I wrote this in my journal nearly two decades ago, and it still rings true today:
"The act of remembering God’s past mercies anchors us, steadying our hearts in the storm. We remember that the same God who parted the Red Sea still reigns today."
We need to remember what God has done. The same God who delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt is the God who has delivered us from sin and death through the cross. We are called to remember His works, not as distant, historical facts, but as living realities that remind us of His unchanging faithfulness. When we recall how He has carried us through past trials, it builds our trust in Him for the future.
But we aren’t just called to remember God’s deeds. We are also called to remember His character. All throughout the Psalms, we see the psalmists crying out for God to remember His mercy, His covenant, His steadfast love. Of course, God never forgets—these prayers are not for His sake but for ours. We need to be reminded that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He does not change. His love is as sure now as it was the moment He created the world, as it was when He sent His Son to die in our place. When we face trials, it’s easy to think God has changed or forgotten us, but remembering His character reassures us that He is always faithful.
And then there is the call to remember who we are in light of who God is. This is perhaps the most personal and necessary form of remembrance. So often, we allow the world, our circumstances, or our own self-doubt to shape our identity. We forget the truth of who we are in Christ. The Scriptures tell us again and again to remember that we are His—“a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession” (1 Peter 2:9). Yet how often do we forget this? The enemy of our souls would love nothing more than for us to lose sight of this truth, to believe that we are abandoned or unworthy. But God calls us to remember that we are His beloved, redeemed by His grace, kept by His power.
In my journal, I wrote:
"To remember is to be tethered to God’s truth in a world that seeks to pull us away. It is an act of defiance against the amnesia of the soul."
This is the essence of Christian remembrance. It is not just looking back for nostalgia’s sake. It is an intentional act of faith—a way of saying, “I trust You, Lord, because I remember who You have been.” And it is this remembrance that sustains us.
Even the Lord’s Supper is an act of remembrance. Jesus commanded us to take the bread and the cup “in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19). At the heart of our faith is this continual call to remember the cross. We are forgetful people, and God, in His kindness, has built rhythms of remembrance into our lives—whether through sacraments like Communion or personal practices like prayer, meditation on Scripture, or simply recounting His past mercies.
So how do we cultivate this practice of remembering?
Look to Scripture. The Bible is a treasure trove of God’s past works and His character. Read the stories of His faithfulness, and let them remind you that He is the same God today.
Reflect on your own life. Take time to recall moments when God has been faithful to you personally. When has He answered prayer, provided in unexpected ways, or comforted you in difficulty? Writing these down can serve as a tangible reminder in future times of struggle.
Embrace the Lord’s Supper. Each time we partake in Communion, we are remembering the greatest act of love the world has ever known—the sacrifice of Christ. Let this moment be a renewal of your heart and mind in the truth of the Gospel.
Speak with others. Share stories of God’s goodness with fellow believers. The stories of others’ faith journeys often rekindle our own memories of how God has worked in our lives.
Worship through song and prayer. Many of the great hymns and worship songs are filled with reminders of who God is and what He has done. Let them guide your heart back to a place of remembrance.
Friends, the act of remembering is not passive. It is a discipline, a spiritual practice that roots us in God’s unchanging truth. As we remember what He has done, who He is, and who we are in Him, we find strength to face whatever lies ahead.
May we, like the Israelites of old, build altars of remembrance in our hearts. And may those altars remind us, not just of what God has done, but of the God who is, always and forever.
Amen and Amen.