One generation will declare Your works to the next
and will proclaim Your mighty acts.
I will speak of Your splendor and glorious majesty
and Your wonderful works.
Psalm 145:4-5 (HCSB)
Series: The Breadcrumb Trail
Anyone remember “Creative Memories”? This successful scrapbooking company launched in 1987 and relaunched in 2014. The mission of the company is to help preserve precious memories for ages to come. “Life is beautiful. Share it. Remember it. Cherish it.” My sister-in-law was a distributor. We have tagged one of my sisters as our family photographer. And each of us has bought into the value of showcasing our family memories through various forms of scrapbooking—digitally and in print.
Memories are priceless treasures. They remind us of who we are, where we came from, our accomplishments (and failures), shared moments, and places along our journeys. One of my favorite things to do with my children is to gather around the table and turn through the pages of our family albums. Laughter fills the room, as well as a few tears, as we remember times past.
Often, the demands life throws at us cause us to get caught up in all the “doing” and we lose sight of precious memories. We can become so focused on the pace and the battles of the moment—the stresses of the day and the things screaming the most for our attention—that we forget who we are and where we’ve come from. In the chaos, we may not only lose ourselves, but we may also completely forget about God.
Knowing this would be our tendency, God provided instruction to us repeatedly throughout scripture to “remember when.” One example is in Deuteronomy 6, 7 and 8. In these chapters, the Lord tells the Israelites to remember the great things He has done for them in their escape from Egypt. In Deuteronomy 8:11 (HCSB), God said through Moses:
Be careful that you don’t forget the Lord your God.
Why? Because when we forget God, we lose sight of His goodness, His promises, and His faithfulness. We fail to remember the victories He has helped us reach in our yesterdays, and we lose our way from the destiny He has planned for us in our tomorrows. In doing so, we limit God’s ability in the very present moment. Our outlook of a “promise-land” in and through Jesus diminishes from fulfillment to emptiness—from hope to hopelessness—from victory to defeat.
So how can we hold fast to our faith in the goodness of God in these moments void of security and peace? By remembering who He is and what He has already done. These memories fuel our hope and feed our faith. They jolt us back into the reality of who we are and whose we are. Remembering the goodness of God informs our present and helps us build our future in the promise and victory of Christ.
Peter had an excellent understanding of this powerful truth. He opens his second letter not only encouraging his readers to remember the power and promises of God as they endure trials, but he also recognizes the importance of helping others not forget. In 2 Peter 1:12-15 (NLT), Peter wrote:
Therefore, I will always remind you about these things—even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught. And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live. For our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I must soon leave this earthly life, so I will work hard to make sure you always remember these things after I am gone.
As we enter this new series, “The Breadcrumb Trail,” we echo Peter and his passion for helping others remember the truth, the power, and the promises of God.
Maybe you’ve suffered and are overcome by the journey. Perhaps you’ve wandered off the trail a bit and need a reminder to help you take the next right step. Pain, rooted in facades of stress, loneliness, self-sufficiency, lack, and regrets can creep in and cloud our understanding of the present and our vision for the future. Flipping through the photo album, remembering events of the past, can reconnect us and remind us of the goodness and faithfulness of God in our lives.
Join us for this new series as we walk down memory lane and remember when God intentionally intersected the lives of His people to rescue, lead, provide, comfort, heal, teach, partner, and love. We all have stories—testimonies—of God’s faithfulness. Let’s turn the pages of scripture, our prayer journals, and our photo albums together and encourage one another in faith by remembering the mighty acts of God, one breadcrumb at a time.
Holding Fast to Hope,
Maryann
Scripture References: Psalm 145; Deuteronomy 6-8; 2 Peter 1:12-15
