Remembering

Remembering is one of the most powerful practices of our faith. It lifts up our spirits when we are low. It increases our confidence that the Lord is with us. Remembering is prevention; it recenters us in our faith. Remembering reminds us where wisdom and help can be found for daily life. Forgetting leads us into some of the most difficult life situations.

 Our ancestors, when they were in Egypt,
   did not consider your wonderful works;
they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,
   but rebelled against the Most High at the Red Sea. 
 Yet he saved them for his name’s sake,
   so that he might make known his mighty power. [Psalm 106:708]

One of the gifts we experience with each new year of our lives is the collective memory. This rhythm of faithfulness is overwhelming if we pause to consider it. Psalm 106 is a long remembrance of God’s acts of faithfulness. The litany is full of humanity; our propensity to forget, rebel, and find ourselves in awful messes. Each time God’s people cry out for help, God responds. Time and time again, we see the kindness of God’s mercy.  We experience redemption and restoring. 

 Many times he delivered them,
   but they were rebellious in their purposes,
   and were brought low through their iniquity. 
 Nevertheless, he regarded their distress
   when he heard their cry. 
 For their sake he remembered his covenant,
   and showed compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love. [Psalm 106:43-45]

Last night this Psalm came across my reading, and it gave me strength. Like the refreshment of a glass of water after a long hike, this remembering of how faithful God is changes the way we walk through life. Do you need to be reminded?  Do you find yourself leaning on some lesser source for your life situations? Or maybe you’ve forgotten how faithfully God works within our lives. Perhaps Psalm 106 can offer some assistance. 

Practices 
Start naming the ways God has been kind to you. Just a few words – a sentence that reminds you. Write them down; let it become your remembering psalm. In moments of discouragement or when you feel forgotten, pull out your psalm. Read it with amazement and gratitude. 

Read Psalm 106 and notice the rhythm of God’s provision for the people in all seasons. God allows rebellion and forgetfulness to have its course. When we recognize our errors, the Lord hears our cries and restores us to the foundations of God’s love and righteousness. When you read Psalm 106 as a holy practice, you are joining the many generations of God’s people in naming God’s faithfulness. It is powerful and it will change your days!  Read Psalm 106 here:
https://bit.ly/Practice106

Prayer
 Save us, O Lord our God,
   and gather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
   and glory in your praise. [Psalm 106:47]

Rescue by Lauren Daigle