Remember
Today I was thinking back on last month’s observance of the Lord’s Supper. In these observances, I often mention the communion is not a sacrament but a memorial ordinance. Jesus told the disciples, “As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, do it in remembrance of me.” The Lord told us to remember, which is a good exercise for every Christian.
It is good when we think back on the marvelous change God made in our lives when He revealed Christ to us in the gospel. Many of you have much more vivid remembrances than I because my salvation came early in life as a child. I had no overtly sinful behavior that harmed others or me. This is not to say I was not a sinner but to express my lesser experience with the world than teenagers or adults. This does not affect my salvific worth for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. It does speak to the absence of compelling testimony that some others have of salvation from a lifetime of crimes against God. My testimony would seem far less spectacular than many I have heard.
As I write this, I sense I may dig too deep a hole to climb out of if I continue in this vein. I do not want to appear better than anyone no matter what your background. We were all sinners condemned to Hell. I am better to return to my original thought. It is remembrance and the value of it in our Christian lives. When we do not remember what God did for us, we become complacent, ungrateful, and prone to think we have come this far by a product of our own efforts. We do not acknowledge the providence of God who always superintends every action.
Often in the Psalms, the psalmists mention God’s providence and thank Him for the works He does and those He did. How many times are the exodus and wilderness wanderings mentioned in scripture? Praises for God’s mighty works often follow. Many psalms are prayers, and we would do well to learn from them how to approach God properly. The popular ACTS acrostic for prayer begins with A—Adoration. Adoration speaks of God’s wonderful providence in the present and in the past. It may include God’s plans promised for the future. These are all in the form of remembrances since the authors wrote them before you and I were born and are still yet future. In other words, remember what He did, what He does, and what He will do.
My remembrance this week is think of God’s providential work in bringing me to Berean. The story has many twists and turns and is too lengthy to discuss here. None of it was predictable in my power, but looking back, remembering, I see how God perfectly put the pieces together to give support to unimaginable processes. It would be good for you, for just a few minutes, to stop and reflect, to remember where you have been and how far you have come. Why are you here at Berean in this year 2023? I am sure if you observe the big picture of your life, there are no by chance happenings. God moves, He orchestrates, and you may not see it in the immediate. It is only as you carefully survey your memory that you see He works all things for your good.
This is to say this part of your life might not seem too good now, but someday you will remember it was a piece of the entire picture God perfectly, providentially worked for His glory and your good.
Paster V. Mark Smith