Christian Living

The Essence of Remembering

by Anthony Osei Boateng
03/11/13
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The Psalmist said in Psalm 137:5; if I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. This might sound like a very harsh thing to say for yourself, but the psalmist knew the essence of Jerusalem and what lied in Jerusalem which was the dwelling place of God’s temple and the Ark of Covenant. Now the temple of God is in our hearts and Jesus dwells in us. This was supposed to make things very easy for us but this is rather the age in which we forget God the most although He is not far away in Jerusalem but right in our hearts.

So what do we need to remember? When do we need to remember? And how do we remember? We need to remember God’s goodness, His faithfulness, love and His Word; and this will draw us closer to Him. Many Christians remember God, only during hard times or when things are not going as expected. This should however not be the case. We should remember God always, especially when we are young. Eccl 12:1 states: remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them" (NIV). Remembering God is not just a mental activity of only meditating or thinking about God. It goes far more than that. It involves acknowledging God as your sole source and making His will your will at a very early stage in your life. That is why Solomon mentioned remembering your Creator in your youth. This is because, a person’s youthful days serves as the peak point for taking very important decisions, the effects of which will be felt either immediately or mostly in old age.

Remembering God is for our very own good and earlier we acknowledge Him in our lives, the better for us. Deut. 8:18 states: But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today (NIV). Every good thing we have and will have comes from God; so the earlier we acknowledge this source, the better for us and our development.

Finally, remembering God’s Word keeps us on the right path away from sin. Psalm 119:11 states: I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you (NIV). This shows how far the Psalmist was willing to go in order not to forget God’s Word. However we are lucky to have the Holy Spirit in this age to bring into remembrance the Word of God which we have learnt. We still have to play our part by studying God’s Word for the Holy Spirit to remind us. May our steps in life be filled with pleasant memories of God! May we remember His faithfulness forevermore. Amen