3-14-2018

Good Morning All,

Genesis 8:1; “But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided.”

    There is a comedian named George Lopez.  He has a routine where he asks the audience if they “Member, you remember!”  Then he refers to events or actions from his childhood that now seem funny.  The Statler Brothers had a song entitled “Do You Remember These?”  In it they recall the events and things from their youth as well.  Tom T. Hall “Remembered the year that Clayton Delaney died.”  Remember, it is something we encourage each other to do.  Remember, but what do we really mean by this.

    For most of us, to remember, is a mental exercise.  I remember going to high school and some of the classes I took and some of my fellow classmates.  I remember some of my college classes and classmates.  For most of us, this is what it means to remember.  We have memories, fond or otherwise, about a person, place or thing and then we move on.  Yet for God, to remember has a different meaning.  When Scriptures speaks of God remembering; He always goes into action.

    When God “remembers”, He actively works to keep his promise to protect and to save His people.  Just our verse says, when God remembered Noah and the beasts; he made a wind blow and the waters receded.  God didn’t just think about Noah; he acted in a manner that would protect and save him.  God remembered, acted and gave Noah hope and rescued him.

    God does the same thing for you.  He remembers the promise made to you in your Baptism and continues to call you by name.  Through this calling, God wants you to “remember” to remember your Baptism.  God desires for you to actively think on the truth that you are a baptized child of God.  God wants you to “remember” all that Jesus has done/is doing/ and will do for us every time we partake in Holy Communion when we “do this in remembrance of me”.

    God invites us to remember Him, not as some past good time but rather to actively recall His promises to strengthen who we are in our faith.  I often give students a small card and I tell them keep it with your Bible or, better yet, carry it with you.  On the front is printed the following lines: “I am a redeemed, baptized child of God” “He holds me in His arms and nothing will change that” “I have already won”.  These simple truths about God’s promise to you should be the first thoughts in any situation, good or bad, as we face the next event.

    By remembering, actively bringing it to the front of your thoughts, you can have peace.  You can have peace because these truths overpower any lie that the devil will tell you or any situation that you face.  You need not fear, you need not worry.  The God who created all things is gently holding you in his arms and will keep you there for all eternity.  Remember that.

Father, it is easy to forget.  Help me to always remember your great love for me.  Help me to always remember Jesus and what his life, death, and resurrection means to me.  Enliven my heart, uplift my soul and renew my spirit that I may always rest peacefully in your loving arms.  In the precious name of Jesus, we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret