Yeah, that's it! Focused. Being so firmly set on a task at hand that I don't have time to bother myself with trivial stuff like "remembering"!
Oh, who am I kidding? I just forget things sometimes. I'll admit it, but while I may be a bit forgetful, I'm learning everyday to remember the important things. Like setting out an extra roll of toilet paper for guests. Haha, just kidding! Well, kinda...
Actually, I think one of the biggest reasons for forgetfulness is that we get too busy and lose focus on the things we're supposed to be more concerned with rather than our own pursuits. If we'd slow down and simplify a little bit I think our focus would change and so would our remembering skills. At least, I think mine would!
As I've been pondering that thought, it dawned on me that remembrance plays a key role in our relationship with the LORD in two ways:
1. The LORD always remembers us and...
2. He tells us to remember what He has done for, and commanded, us.
(the LORD)"Who remembered us in our lowly state: for His mercy endures forever; and has redeemed us from our enemies; for His mercy endures forever." - Psalm 136:23-24
Our God will never leave us nor forsake us when we cling to Him (and even when we don't), because He remembers us in our times of trouble and distress.
"And God remembered Noah..." - Genesis 8:1
"God remembered Abraham..." - Genesis 19:29
"God remembered Rachel..." - Genesis 30:22
and the list of Scriptures goes on....
Now that's not to say that God forgot about Noah, Abraham, and the rest and all the sudden remembered them! It wasn't like God was sitting there and went "Ooops! I almost forgot about that guy down there!" No, not at all! When we read that God remembered someone or something it's that He did NOT forget them. He had marked a special place for them in His plan and He was going to keep His promises to them, just like He ALWAYS does!
The Lord of heaven and earth will never forget those who call on His name to be saved. If we are born again then we are His children and nothing outside of our relationship with Him can remove us from His hand. Though we can remove ourselves, it is not a quick process.
At least 14 times in the book of Deuteronomy alone, Yahweh tells His people to "remember" all the things He did for them - in Egypt, in the wilderness, to keep His commands, etc...
Another fascinating thought in the realm of memory is what the Lord commanded concerning the Sabbath;
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" - Exodus 20:8
The Lord is not simply saying to remember which day it is (though that's part of it) but look closely at what He is telling us to remember:
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy".
That's the key to remembering the Lord's Sabbath...that we keep it holy. Not that we can keep, or make, the day holy, but that we would treasure it in our lives. God has already made it holy (Genesis 2:3) because HE said it was, and by setting it apart from every other day, He sanctified it.
Our Creator is telling us to keep it holy (separate) from every other day in our lives. To keep it sacred before Him.
Yeshua said that the Sabbath day was made for mankind, not the other way around (Mark 2:27) thereby making it important for us to see what God's purpose in this day is all about.
It is not only about physical rest, which our bodies do need, but spiritual and mental rest as well. A day of reflecting on the Lord and the coming eternity that we will spend with Him. After 6 days of working in, and dealing with, this world we need rest! That's part of the commandment, by the way...to work 6 days and rest on the seventh.
He has called us to meet with Him on His Sabbath day. It is an appointed time for gathering with Him (Leviticus 23:1-3). The day was made for us, but it's all about HIM!
Some argue that our Sabbath rest can be anytime in Jesus. While we do find our eternal security, or rest if you will, in our Savior, that argument of "Sabbath can be any day", doesn't make sense, Scripturally. Given the fact that even though our eternal rest is in Him, we still exist in this physical realm and God has still given us bodies to dwell in and a physical earth to live on. He still expects us to live for Him in the same way His people have lived for Him for thousands of years. We can't hyper-spiritualize everything to the point where we're constantly thinking about things and that's all we need to do. If all I do is just think about eating, I'll end up getting pretty hungry and would eventually starve to death.
The time is coming when we will rest with our Lord forever, but until then we have a weekly, holy reminder/rehearsal with Him and His body until He returns. What a blessing that He has given us such a beautiful picture of our eternity with Him while we're still waiting for that day to come!
So while I know I'll forget things once in a while, I hope that I will remember His great love for me, His promises to me, and His provision for me. And if I forget, I'm sure He will remind me! He's so faithful to do that!
So may we remember Him, not only on this beautiful Sabbath day, but every day on life's journey.
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