Remember

I attended a banquet last night and the speaker made this point:

The Hebrew word often translated "remember" isn't just a matter of recall. It's active - more like "recall, and then act accordingly".

I also came across this thought on-line:

"The word translated “remember” (zah-khor) means more than merely recalling something past, but suggests actively focusing the mind upon something in the present.

In Hebrews 13:7, the verb for "remember" is set in parallel to "consider ... and imitate."

"Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith." (emphasis mine)

In Canada, last Monday was Thanksgiving Day. In America, it's still coming up. It's a time when we typically remember and are thankful for the good things in our lives. Things like family or a home or good friends often come to mind. But the speaker's comment last night got me thinking. Remembering the things we have to be thankful for should not only be an exercise in looking at the past, but should also be a way to plan ahead.

For instance, we remember God's provision.

If we're going to "act accordingly" maybe this will mean trusting God the next time we're feeling in a tight spot. Maybe it means being more generous to someone in need, knowing God will provide for us too.

We remember a time that we didn't follow God's prompting.

If we remember and "act accordingly", the next time we feel that prompting we will follow through (and most likely see God do something remarkable).

We remember a time we gave in to temptation and sinned.

If we remember and "act accordingly", we will be much more aware of the consequences and make a different choice the next time we face that temptation. Think of it as "live and learn".

Why is this important? Well, for starters, God continuously reminded his people to remember. He asked them to do this in order to build their faith, to strengthen their commitment to Him and to teach to those young enough to not have seen the constant pattern of God's work in their lives. And we are reminded, too, to remember (John 16:4, 2 Peter 1:15, Revelation 3:3, Matthew 16:9, Mark 8:18). Because as we see time and time again throughout the Bible, the truth of this saying is evident -

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

- George Santayana

So remember, and act accordingly.