Remember

A plaque at Auschwitz Concentration Camp reads, ‘The one who does not remember history is bound to live through it again’ (George Santayana).

We do have some control over our memory. There are some things we are told in the Bible to ‘forget’. There are other things we are repeatedly called to ‘remember’. You can make choices about what you choose to ‘forget’ and what you choose to ‘remember’.

The word ‘remember’ in its various Hebrew and Greek forms occurs over 250 times in the Bible. It is so easy to forget all that God has done for you. It is important to look back at your own life as well as the history of the church, both local and global, to remember all that God has done.

At the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the service of communion so that we would not forget the central events of world history – the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Remember Jesus always

Psalm 45:10-17

Generations come and go but the name of Jesus will be remembered forever.

The New Testament applied this psalm to Jesus (Hebrews 1:8ff). The early church saw its own relationship with Christ reflected in the relations between the bridegroom and the bride as they are described here.

Jesus loves the church: ‘The king is enthralled by your beauty’ (Psalm 45:11a). We are to honour Jesus; he is our Lord (v.11b): ‘I will perpetuate your memory through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever’ (v.17). Jesus the King will be remembered for all time. Every nation will worship him forever and ever (Revelation 5:13).