The Power of Remembering. The Danger of Forgetting

 The Power of Remembering and The Danger of Forgetting 

By Liz King

     We always hear God is a good God. We have seen the power of Him in and throughout our lives. We have seen His omnipotent hand guide us through turbulent situations and seen His rescuing hand when we thought all was lost. Some of us have experienced His healing and restoration. I know I have, but how easily do we forget? Why do we forget? Has God not always shown us He is faithful?  His faithfulness is evident every morning when the sun arises and the sun sets. His breath is in our lungs, the grass grows, and nature sings with His glory.  No matter what God has done for us, why do we still forget? Why do we allow circumstances to blind us from remembering the faithfulness of God?

      There have been many times in my life where God has shown His goodness and faithfulness.  Even when I was not living for or faithful to Him, He still was faithful to me.   He healed my son of a life-threatening disease, healed me of a debilitating disease, rescued me from more situations than I’d like to remember.  He saved me from hell, and yet I forget.  When one small thing happens, we tend to believe it’s impossible for God to help.  We act as if the situation or circumstances are bigger than God.  We forget to remember the times He’s revealed Himself in the past, how He’s protected us, saved us, and guided us. We act just like the Israelites who began to doubt and question God even after He delivered them and destroyed Egypt, parted the Red Sea, made the wall of Jericho come down, they forgot. You see throughout the Bible where one generation is faithful to God and then the next generation forgets Him.  I see how often I myself am like the Israelites. When trials come, I begin to doubt, fear, or question God’s faithfulness. I give more power to the circumstances than I do Him.  Yet, I know He is faithful. 

   This new generation that lives today, easily forget the sacrifices of those who came before them, the pain and disasters our generation has gone through and things people before them had to overcome. The newer generation is short sighted, and I focused. They tend to follow a crowd or ideology rather than the truth. They don’t care about remembering.  They don't care or appreciate the sacrifices made for their lives they live today.  The best example of this during my lifetime would be 9/11. I remember where I was. The loss and devastation it left. People flocked to churches, people supported one another, loved one another.  The slogan “We Will Never Forget “or “We Remember” were used to honor those who died in the worst attack in American history since Pearl Harbor.  After 6 months people began abandoning the church, God and the promises they had made to Him. The sight where it happened has become a tourist attraction for many, but the younger generation does not care to remember because they did not experience it. Too many, it's just a story.  Sadly, now, many young people of this generation sympathize with the man who planned the 9/11 attacks.  They revere men like Hitler, Stalin and Lenin who were murderers.   They do not appreciate the sacrifices of soldiers' lives or cherish the freedom they have been given. They chose to forget and because of that they are oblivious to the danger that surrounds them and the danger to their freedom. When a generation has not lived through something and is not taught of these things and their importance, they don’t remember, but even the generation that lived through it has forgotten.

Just like in the physical world we remember events; we also need to remember the spiritual battles and victories.  We have to remember all the things God has done for us because forgetting can leave us stuck, weighed down, and defeated. It can leave us hopeless and helpless.  You would think the Israelites would be confident in their hope and peace. You would think that they would walk boldly seeing everything God had done for them, but they didn't.  They forgot, and by forgetting they did not teach the younger generation to remember either. We have to remember all the times God has brought us through something. Remember all the times He has saved us, healed us, restored us, and provided for us.  That is what strengthens our faith.  If we don't remember we cannot step out in faith.  We get lost in the chaos of our lives and the trauma it brings. Instead of standing firmly on the faithfulness of God we cower in a corner not knowing where our hope will come.  Many people end up choosing to depend on themselves to save them.  If we can step outside and see the faithfulness of God every day, the green grass, the flowers, the birds, the stars in their place, the sun and moon, don’t you think that your faith should be in the one who created it and supplies its every need?  We cannot forget who does that.  We have to remember who He is, what He’s done.  There is power in remembering.  There is danger in forgetting.  Don’t let what is happening overshadow who is working, who saves, who is bigger, who is faithful, and who is in control.   I can’t afford to forget all that Jesus has done for me in and in my life, especially on the cross.  I need to live a life of remembrance, dependent on Him.  When I do that, I teach my children to live a life of remembrance, faith, and dependence on Him.  For He alone is mighty to save.