REMEMBER + PRAISE
1 Chron. 16:12 Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
Psalm 77:11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
Psalm 103:2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
Luke 22:19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying “given for you; do this in remembrance of me”
In a recent study done this last June, the average adult attention span is a whopping 8.25 seconds. We are constantly seeking to be entertained, filled, and captivated, and if it takes longer than eight seconds to grab our attention…might as well see ya later. We are so quick to jump on to the next thing and oftentimes forget what we just read/saw/heard.
This is why I believe the power and practice of remembering is so valuable. It keeps us tethered to those things that have formed us; foundational moments in our life that we’ve experienced, read, seen, felt, or heard. Remembering shows no favoritism…the good and the bad come to mind and I know this can be painful. But Scripture makes it clear that we are not simply called to remember the moments, but we are challenged to remember what God has done and as we remember, we begin to see a fresh perspective on how God has been with us in every moment.
Ultimately we see this at the passover when Jesus encourages us to remember Him and what he has done for us on the cross. This is not particularly a “happy memory” but the ultimate good that was produced should absolutely captivate us. The practice of remembering is an amazing way to hold our attention.. Remembering keeps us from replacing truth with momentary thrills. Remembering anchors us. It draws us back to gratitude, no matter what the present circumstance looks like because we become tethered to the one who never changes. The one who is in the middle of working all things ultimately for good.
So today as I look back on this summer, I take time to remember. In every moment, God was with me. In remembering, I recognize that God can work in and through all things, ultimately for my good. While I wait, I remember. While I look around, I remember. While I look ahead, I remember. And in my remembering, I am drawn to praise. This deep-rooted praise becomes my weapon against the lies, the distraction, and the tendency to forget. As we take time to remember + praise, let’s breathe. Inhale through your nose and fill your lungs with air, expand your ribcage and relax. Exhale up and out through pursed lips as you draw everything in towards that imaginary center column. Continue this cycle as you meditate on the words of this song.
