During this Lenten season, I find myself in the book of Deuteronomy as the natural flow of my personal Bible reading. Something I’ve been quite struck by is how often the Israelites are called to remember what God did for them when He rescued them from Egypt. This isn’t presented in a perspective of God “Lording it over them”, but as a reminder of all that God has already done for His people and how He will indeed carry out His promise to bring them safely into the Land flowing with milk and honey. A comforting reminder that He is their God and they are His people.
This season of Passover brings to mind the traditional Seder Meal that the Jewish people celebrate every year, when they recount, through elements and symbols, the Israelites' journey from bondage to freedom through Moses’ rescue at God’s command. Not only were God’s people released from slavery, but the Lord kept them safe during those 40 years in the desert.
King David’s book of Psalms is a remembrance of God’s faithfulness to him. When David faced enemies from without or within, he would remember what God had already done for him. Not only that, if he were at a loss for remembering a personal testimony of God’s faithfulness that would encourage him in a particular situation, David would remember how God saved the Israelites from slavery. He was never without some memory of encouragement, reminding him of God’s love and faithfulness.
What the Lord did for us on the day of our Salvation and His continued faithfulness to us should be a constant reminder of Whose we are and Who we are in Christ Jesus. It bolsters our faith. After all, it is through these remembrances that our faith muscles find their muscle memory. The more they are exercised, the stronger they get.
When we talk about spiritual disciplines, you don’t hear about the “Discipline of Remembering”. In my humble opinion, it should be one of the spiritual disciplines. Let’s take a look at how the Discipline of Remembering should play out in your daily life.
Daily Thanks to the Lord
“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1
Daily gratitude is a very popular exercise right now, not just in Christian circles. Psychologists will tell you that daily gratitude helps rewire the brain to view the world in a positive light, rather than allowing negativity to disrupt the day-to-day rhythms.
As Believers, though, daily gratitude isn’t just a positivity exercise; it is continually bringing to mind all the gifts the Lord has bestowed upon us. Whether it be the bird singing outside of our window heralding spring and warmer weather, the rains that drench parched farmlands in desperate need of nourishment, or healing from sickness, or God’s provision. The reasons to thank God and honor who He is are endless. In fact, each name of God would have its own sublist of ways we can be thankful to Him.
If we go through our days focusing only on mundane tasks or anything we are not thrilled about doing, our mood will surely plummet. Viewing our lives as unexciting or, if, unfortunately, we suffer with chronic illness or pain, our first thoughts won’t be to thank God. Gratitude won’t be the default mindset.
It is in these instances when it’s hard to be thankful that we take our cue from King David by remembering what God has done for His people - the Old Testament, the New Testament, friends, or our own past faith experiences with the Lord.
By disciplining ourselves to remember Who God is, Who we are in Him, and what He continually does for His people, even on hard days, we can reflect on the love and faithfulness of God and whisper thanksgiving to Him.
Gratitude in Action
“Whatever you do… do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:17
Gratitude in action might be one of the hardest disciplines to achieve, especially when we are doing something we absolutely hate. Unfortunately, in life, we will be called to do things we don’t enjoy.
Years ago, I read The Practice of the Presence of God, a book about Brother Lawrence, a 17th-century Carmelite Monk who worked in the monastery kitchen. He believed that even the most ordinary activities he did, like washing dishes, were ways to love and serve God. He taught that God can be worshipped at any moment and in any circumstance, not just during formal prayer. The core message is that one can maintain a constant, loving conversation with God regardless of the noise or busy nature of daily work.
This right here beautifully expresses gratitude in action. How does that look practically? If you have a job that entails sweeping up floors at the mall, you thank God for having a job and for being able to provide for your family. If you are a single mom at home with three children who are driving you crazy, you thank God that you have three healthy children because some yearn for children and are unable to conceive. As you can see, it’s all about shifting our perspectives. We can even ask the Lord to help us shift our perspective in areas that test our gratitude. Once we do that, in whatever situation we find ourselves in that isn’t pleasant, we can then enter into His presence and thank Him.
This particular discipline of remembering reminds us that the Lord sees us in ALL of our circumstances, that He orders our steps, and that He will bless us.
Keeping Short Accounts
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us…” 1 John 1:9
Sometimes, we get stuck in our sin. We are ashamed of what we have done and somehow think we can’t go to the Lord about it. Other times, we might be embarrassed that the besetting sin keeps coming back, and we again shy away from going to the Lord. As a result, instead of our shame or embarrassment helping us course-correct, we sink deeper into a whole lot of self-loathing and a “well, I guess I’m just going to keep sinning” attitude.
It’s times like these that we need to run to the Lord all the more. Not only did He die for ALL of our sins once and for all on the cross, but we now have access to the Lord and can come to Him any number of times to confess our sins, because He is faithful and to forgive us EVERY time.
Remembering this promise every time we sin and following through by accepting it, we no longer have to be stuck in a shame cycle. Still, we can walk in the freedom of Christ, which discipline will bring about a life that continually glorifies God.
God’s Own People
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out. 1 Peter 2:9
Oh, to remember that we are God’s children, His chosen ones, His special possession. I don’t know about you, but this is rarely at the forefront of my mind. It should be! God shows His love to me every minute of every day! Could it be, then, that because I have not practiced the discipline of remembering, I have forgotten who I am in Christ Jesus?
One of the best tools for memory is song. Just me?? If we go with that thought, what if every morning you either sang your favorite worship song OR a favorite hymn that reminds you of God’s everlasting love for you and who you are in Christ Jesus? I believe that you would start behaving as God’s own child. Think about when you tell a little one that you know they “are going to be such a good boy today” and “mommy loves you so much!” They will act in a way that showcases both those sentiments.
When you practice the discipline of singing a worship song about God’s love every morning, that first song of the day, which always seems to stick with you the rest of the day, will cause you to walk with your head held high as God’s chosen one - His special possession.
Our Day of Salvation Remembered
“For by grace you have been saved through faith…” Ephesians 2:8-9
The most important discipline of remembering is the day of our salvation. Now, before I continue, I understand, because I am one of those people, that not all of us know the exact day and time of our conversion, but we know it happened because we see how our lives have changed from the “old man” to a new creation in Christ Jesus.
Whether you know the exact day and time or whether you have a general idea when, you know that by grace you have been saved; if that isn’t something to be celebrated every day, I don’t know what is! To remember that Jesus died on the cross for OUR sins. That he was thinking of us personally and was suffering for us is truly amazing love.
This changes our whole perspective on life to know that God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die in our place. Having this knowledge reminds us that we have nothing to fear. He has secured our place in Heaven. The Lord will ALWAYS come through for us. He is faithful.
Remembering all these Truths through a daily discipline will be life-changing. You will walk in the knowledge of ALL the blessings that your Lord and Savior bestowed on you, not only on the day of your salvation, but every day, which in turn will keep your focus on the Lord and your life lived for Him.
Father, help us to be disciplined daily to remember ALL you have done for us and to walk in that knowledge and freedom.
Which discipline has been the hardest for you?
How will you practice these disciplines daily?
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