It seems there are always things we forget to remember. We made a mental note, we jotted it down, we may have even put on the calendar, but at the end of the day we realize, we forgot to remember! Depending on the relative importance or urgency of the forgotten item, we either move it to tomorrow’s “Don’t Forget to Remember” list, we confess our failure to do it, or we hasten to tend to it at the moment we do remember it.
The Bible is filled with “Don’t Forget to Remember” reminders. In fact, remembering is a central theme of the Scriptures.
From Moses’ parting words to the people he’d led for decades to the Psalmist remembering refrains to the Chronicles, prophets, pastoral epistles of the New Testament and the Gospels themselves, we are encouraged throughout the Bible, “Don’t forget to remember!” Why is that? Because people are prone to forget – and when we forget who God is, we forget who we are, we lose all sense of ourselves and our place and purpose in the world.
So, how can we remember to remember? Well, deliberate patterns of behavior help.
Let’s just look at Moses’ model here for a moment. In Deuteronomy 8 he reminds the people to remember to remember. And he also gives them habits to help! He charges them to teach their children (4:9), share their faith (6:4-9), observe the Sabbath (5:120-15), give thanks to God (8:10), confess their sins (9:4-7), celebrate the Passover (16:1-3), tithe (26:1-11), act out their faith with justice, mercy and compassion (24:17-22 and 15:12-15). Each of these practices of faith helped God’s people remember God, God’s intent, God’s fellowship, God’s desire, God’s presence, and who they were in relationship to Him. All of that reminded of them that they belonged to God and were on God’s mission in the world. The same is true for us today!
What are your practices for remembering your story with God? Bible reading, scripture memory and music are all practices in which we can engage no matter where we are and no matter the season we’re in. And if we have kids, helping them develop remembering practices is essential to the development of patterns that will last a lifetime.
Singer, songwriter, author and mom of three, Ellie Holcomb, recently shared her tendency to forget to remember, her personal practices and how she’s cultivating remembering rhythms in her own home. You can listen to my conversation with Ellie here:
Helping children remember the promises of God with Ellie Holcomb
Enjoy Ellie’s new song song titled, “Don’t Forget to Remember,” written to help kids (and adults) dwell on the scriptures and remember what is really true.
You can also learn more about her children’s book under the same title here.