Podcast: Play in new window | Download
This Week’s Devotional Topic
PRECIOUS MEMORIES
As we think about “Memory”, the ability to remember things is part of what God created us with. Scripture describes the concept of remembering things and mentions many examples of using memories that are cited in His word. We will look at just a few of those today.
Memories are extremely valuable and important for us to use.
For example: we are to remember God’s word. There are many helpful ways to remember scripture. One of the easiest is simply to underline important passages. And we are to memorize God’s word.
Psalm 119:8-11 I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
As we memorize scripture, remember to follow the instructions and obey.
Deuteronomy 12:28 Be careful to obey all my commands, so that all will go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and pleasing to the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 16:12 Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, so be careful to obey all these decrees.
While we think about the past, remember how God worked in and through friends and relatives that are gone. The Bible is full of stories, examples and testimonies that we are to remember and learn from. Read Hebrews eleven, it will increase your faith as you remember the accounts of those who are mentioned there.
Hebrews 11:1-40 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
And that list goes on including Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and others.
We are to be careful what comes to our minds as we remember, things we think about, meditate upon.
Philippians 4:8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. (remember) Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
God wanted the children of Israel to remember what He has done and how He led them. One important and effective way was to have piles of stones stacked at the site of miracles so the Children of Israel would remember that God was there, His fingerprints. One example is when Israel crossed over the Jordan river.
Joshua 4:1-7 Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”
Things that help us to remember include a diary or notebook. I started writing details many years ago of my life and family. I refer to it as the “Roby Chronicles”. I have made sure that each of our five children have a copy of that for the sake of them remembering their heritage and wisdom that God blessed me with over the years.
One of the most notable ways that we are reminded of events and places is by way of keep sakes, mementos, Souvenirs like T-shirts and coffee mugs or a spoon collection.
It is important for us to understand that God is using the power of our memories in the process of conforming us to His image. The good and the bad memories all have their part in making us what we are and will be.
Romans 8:28,29 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
This week’s Scripture:
Psalms 119:8-11; Deuteronomy 12:28; 16:12; Hebrews 11:1-40; Philippians 4:8; Joshua 4:1-7 and Romans 8:28,29
See this week’s playlist
