One of the consequences of being a flawed human being is forgetfulness. No matter what our age, all of us have times when our memories fail us. How many times have you met someone you haven’t seen for a long time – someone you know very well, but your mind freezes up and suddenly you can’t remember their name? Husbands – have you ever ended up in the doghouse because you forgot an important date? Wives – how many times have you caused your husband frustration because you forgot your purse at church 5 miles later down the road? Students – have you ever forgotten a homework assignment or forgotten the answer to a test question in spite of the fact that you knew the material? The truth is that at some point, we ALL struggle with forgetfulness. One of the places that our flawed memories can cause the most damage is in our Christian walk. Perhaps this is why God spends so much time encouraging His people to “Remember” in His Word. Over and over again, in the Old Testament God says to the people: “Remember! Remember that you were a slave in Egypt. Remember all the way that I have led you! Remember your Creator in the days of your youth! Remember and obey My commandments! Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy!”

This being Memorial Day weekend, I thought it appropriate to remind us that God encourages us to “Remember.” I’m not suggesting we keep reminding ourselves of how rotten we were or the sin we’ve committed in our past – we’ve been forgiven and set free from those, but we do need to remind ourselves of some things that help us stay connected and committed to Jesus. One thing that helps us remember is what you might call a memory tool – things that help remind you of things. For example: I carry things in my pocket that remind me of commitments I’ve made to my wife and family. In Numbers 15, God gave the people of Israel a memory tool. God made a covenant – an agreement – with them. On His side of the covenant, God promised continued protection. On their side they were to obey God’s commands. God knew their weakness when it came to memory so He ordered Moses to have the people make themselves a memory-jogging tool – you’ll find it in Numbers 15:37-41. In this text God told them to put tassels on their robes and to tie a chord around each one to help them remember their part of the covenant in much the same way that you and I would tie a string around our finger to help us remember something important. When God in the flesh – Jesus – was about to leave His first set of disciples, He knew that they too would soon forget His offer of grace and His call to discipleship so He also gave them a memory tool as well. I’m referring to the Lord’s Supper. And like the tassels on the robes of the Hebrews, the bread and the cup are to remind us of some vital truths that we need to be careful to remember.

This weekend while you’re celebrating our American heroes – the courageous men and women who have given their life for our freedom, I encourage you to also spend time thinking about, remembering and celebrating the greatest of all heroes, our Lord and Savior, Jesus who gave His life so we could be free. We’ll use the picture of the Lord’s Supper as our memory tool. At the Lord’s Supper, Jesus taught His followers to remember His sacrifice (1Corinthians 11:23-25). But we’re also taught in that passage to not forget He’s coming again so we must prepare for His future return (1Corinthians 11:26). We are surrounded by visible reminders of His miraculous saving power and redemption. Perhaps as Christ Followers we may need to simply say, “Help me see it, God. Help me remember.”

pastorjeff@lwwconline.com