He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay,
and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. ~ Psalm 40:2
Several years ago, my family was in a tragic flash flood while camping in the Ozark Mountains. In the middle of the night, we waded through muddy waters to climb towards higher ground. It was an event that will forever be etched in our family’s testimony. That night as we tried to sleep in the hotel room all I can do was thumb through the Gideon Bible and find the Psalms that spoke about dry ground, rocks and firm foundation. That night, it was clear the God Most High IS the one who sets our feet upon the Rock!
Every year in the month of June we sit down as a family eating a memorial meal and talking about that night recounting the goodness, mercy and salvation of our God. He saved us. He kept us. He sustained us in the days afterwards. This is our testimony and out of that story, we learned the importance of remembering. As I sought the Scriptures about remembrance, I found the word mentioned over 148 times. Remembrance is the Hebrew word “zakar,” and it means to call to mind, remind, to make mention, to record, or to make a memorial.
In the Old Testament, people regularly commemorated the acts of God. Examples include; covenant meals, alter building, and stone piling, as demonstrated in the story of Joshua and the children of Israel crossing the Jordan River (Joshua 4:24).
Believers are referred to as living stones, and written epistles, declaring the praises of the Lord! We are memorials of the true and living God, daily reminding the world that He is Lord … but how? Listed are a few examples of what stones of remembrance can look like:
Sharing Your Testimony: out loud, intentionally – privately and publicly
Being Hospitable: sharing in meals to connect the generations
Making Declarations: strengthen and encourage one another by testifying of God’s faithfulness
Inviting Others to Participate: ask others to share their own redemption stories
The act of remembering is modeled best by Jesus the night he was betrayed and sent to the cross. Do this in remembrance of me. Do what? Take up the cup, the bread and remember me. Have a meal together and never forget me. Tonight, it is all about what I am doing to save you, redeem you, and one day take you into My Father’s house for a great big celebratory feast to REMEMBER where you came from and what I brought you into!
Bless the Lord oh my soul and forget not all His benefits. Who forgives all your iniquities who heals all your diseases. Who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies.~ Psalm 103:2-4
~ JCM Guest Blogger Amber Alcoser, Colorado Messianic Women’s Fellowship
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