“Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth,” we read in Genesis 9:16. Or “Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm” (Deuteronomy 5:15).
The pattern of forgetting God–and being prompted to recall His promises–is repeated over and over again. Because if there’s one thing we must remember above all else, it’s that God is our creator and redeemer.
We are also called to…
1. Remember the importance of love.
As children, the first thing we learn about our Creator is that “God is love” (1 John 4:8). As we grow, both physically and in our faith, we are called to love others–even our enemies–“because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:5).
The God who loves us unconditionally has called us to a life of love. The Apostle Paul reminds us, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).
2. Remember to follow God’s commands.
Today and tomorrow and as long as we are able, we are called to remember God above and before all else. We do this by reading Scripture and by recalling Jesus’ words, “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15). The Bible also exhorts us to:
- Remember the needy.
The destitute, the sick, the widowed, the orphans–Jesus lives in all who are in need (see Matthew 25:37-40). - Remember to model our lives after those rich in faith.
“Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith” (Hebrews 13:7). - Remember to clean our hearts regularly.
“Therefore, if you are o ffering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24).
3. Remember salvation’s price.
Grace is free but not cheap. “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). “You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God…” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
Christ wanted to make sure that His followers never forgot that their freedom was bought with his precious blood. So, on the night he was betrayed, Jesus instituted a way to be sure this happened. “And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me’” (Luke 22:19). Each time you take communion, you are engaging in an act of holy remembrance.
