“Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” (Hebrews 2:1, ESV).
Parking garages confuse me. Row upon row of cars and every row looks the same. It’s so easy for me to forget where I parked, especially if I’m gone for a few hours. I need something to jog my memory. For garages with each spot numbered, I snap a quick photo of that number with my cell phone. Otherwise, I try to find some feature to remember, such as “on Level 4 and two rows from the outside wall.”
Memorials, however, are a different type of reminder. They may take the form of street names, historical markers, parks, buildings, libraries, gravestones, or even plaques on park benches. War memorials remind us that the price of freedom is the blood of our fallen brothers. A walk through a Holocaust Museum is a sober reminder of what happens to civilization when evil triumphs.
All these things are erected to keep us from forgetting valuable lessons of the past. They serve as reminders not only for the present but also for future generations. But far worse than forgetting our nation’s past is a spiritual forgetfulness in which we no longer remember God’s mercies.
It only takes one generation to forget.
Moses knew this and tried to instill in the Israelites the importance not only of remembering but also of rehearsing the works of God to their children.
“Keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thine heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons” (Deuteronomy 4:9).
(Also read Deuteronomy 8:11-14 and 11:18-20.)
When the time came for the children of Israel to claim the Promised Land, the Lord wanted them to remember all He had done for them. In Joshua chapter 4, He gave specific instructions for a representative of each tribe to carry a stone of remembrance from the center of the Jordan River, where He had rolled the waters back for them to cross on dry ground, and place that stone on the other side.
“And these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever” (verse 7).
Do you have memorial stones in your life to remind you of God’s mercies? It may be a physical location—a certain place where God met with you to answer your need. It may be a marked portion of Scripture, a reminder of divine guidance during a time of searching. Perhaps it is a notation in the front of your Bible or in your journal telling of a miraculous answer to prayer.
Or has your memory grown foggy as you become absorbed with the busyness of daily life. Hebrews 2:1 tells us “to give the more earnest heed…lest at any time we should let them slip.” This is not an intentional turning away from God as much as an absentmindedness that dulls our awareness of Him. It is like losing touch with an old friend. We don’t mean to lose contact, but time slips away and soon we are almost strangers exchanging the annual Christmas card.
Old Testament history shows that Israel repeatedly forgot, and in their forgetting, they lost their relationship with God. If we can learn from history, we can spare ourselves the sorrow of repeating it. We must guard our spiritual memory. In doing so, we save ourselves and future generations.
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” (Psalm 103:2)
It is time to build some memorials for ourselves and those who will follow—lest we forget.
Lord, help me to never forget Your many mercies and kindnesses to me and my family. May I always keep those memories fresh, rejoicing in the times You healed my body, provided for my daily needs, guided me in my decisions, and refreshed my weary soul. You have blessed me above measure, and I thank You.
