Don’t Forget

Don’t Forget

He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.”

Luke 22:19

When it comes to forgetfulness, I am the queen. When I was in elementary school, I would remember to go to my music lesson but forget to bring my instrument. Over the years I have apologized myself out of more forgotten appointments than I like to admit. I have double-booked and triple-booked and shown up a day early and a day late. When it comes to remembering, my brain is a ninety-pound weakling, and no amount of coping strategies seems capable of curing me.

Like most problems in my life, I like to blame this one on my mother. You see, while I was writing this devotion, she called to wish my daughter a happy birthday. Only one problem: my daughter’s birthday is more than a month away.

Fortunately, even if we can’t remember where we’ve put our purses or stashed our keys, God can help us remember what’s most important—things like who he is, what he has done for us, and how much he loves us. That’s good, because experiencing more of God’s peace has everything to do with cherishing the central memories of our faith.

If you had room in your brain for only two sacred memories, they should be the memory of the Exodus and the memory of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. Why? Because the central message of salvation is summed up in these memories. Like the ancient Israelites, God has brought each of us out of our own Egypt, freeing us from the slavery of sin and death. Furthermore, Jesus has delivered us by suffering, dying, and being raised from the dead. He has shown us who God is and who we are—people God loves beyond all imagining.

If we want a steady supply of God’s peace, we need to nurture these memories because they assure us that we are destined for freedom and joy, not bondage and slavery. Whatever you forget, remember these things.

Lord, you promised the Holy Spirit would remind us of everything you told us. May your Spirit help me remember the truth and live by it always.