Today’s Devotional Theme
Never Forgetting
Daily Scripture
Exodus 13:3
“Then Moses said to the people, ‘Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten.’”
Encouragement
Some memories we hold onto because forgetting them simply isn’t an option. Remembering Who God is, is an obvious requirement in our God-centered lives. Other memories we might rather forget, but they’re like a coarse-woven wool shirt on bare skin. We have no choice: we simply can’t forget them. For the most part, I’ve lived a fairly ordinary life. But a few unhappy events in my childhood I can never forget. Like getting squirted full in the face by my father, night after night, when as a boy of 7 I’d approach him to ask a question while he was watering bushes in the front yard. I’d run into the house sobbing, totally not knowing why my dad treated me that way. Only years later did I understand my parents were locked in irreparable marital problems, and Dad simply wanted his sad solitude without his kid full of questions pestering him.
Take Action!
God’s admonition to the ancient Hebrews through His prophets to “remember what I did for you in leading you out of bondage in Egypt” is one of the leading themes of the Old Testament. Remembering and sharing with the coming generation important family events, customs, and histories was a vital activity in a Hebrew household. Several great feasts like the Feast of Tabernacles were announced by God to help the Hebrews remember their heritage. The celebration of Tabernacles or booths harks back to the wanderers’ time in the wilderness, when they dwelled in makeshift shelters between travels, Exodus 23:34-36. Passover (Exodus chapter 12) started as a remembrance that the death angel who killed Egypt’s firstborn sons passed over the Hebrews’ specially-marked dwellings. The Hebrew word for “remember,” tzakhar, shows up in some form in the Old Testament hundreds of times. Besides today’s scripture, another key admonition to remember is found in the Shema (“Hear, O Israel…”), Exodus 6:7, “You shall teach them [My words] diligently to your children, and shall talk of them…” These words formed an important part of the Jews’ personal testimony, just as we build our testimony to nonbelievers around our past. A skeptic might well scoff at our belief in Jesus Christ, but only a fool will naysay our testimony.
Come into His Presence
Lord God, it seems like never forgetting painful personal experiences is a lot easier than remembering what You have done for me. Help me to bear in mind Your setting my feet on Your Rock and to be ready to share it with others. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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