Remember What God Did in the Past
Scripture — Isaiah 46:8-9 (NRSV)
Remember this and consider,
recall it to mind, you transgressors,
remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like me.
Focus
Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord once called Israel to “remember the former things of old.” By doing this, they would be reminded of the uniqueness and grace of God. We need to hear the divine call to remember today so that we might grow in faith and gratitude.
Devotion
Throughout the Bible, God’s people are called to remembrance. We are to bring to mind God’s wondrous works in the past so that our faith might be renewed in the present. For the Israelites, this meant, most of all, recalling the Exodus, when God delivered the chosen people from slavery in Egypt. For Christians, the focal point of our remembrance is the cross, by which God delivered us from slavery to sin and death. At the Last Supper, Jesus provided a way for us to remember this death regularly, which we do when we celebrate Communion together.
I learned a great deal about remembering God’s works in the past from Howard E. Butt, Jr., my leader, mentor, and friend during my years working with Laity Lodge. In one of his writings, Howard talked about the importance of bringing to mind what God has graciously done in the past: “In my morning quiet time, I start by being thankful for the trustworthiness of God. Eventually, I ask for spiritual guidance in the dilemmas of the moment, but first I concentrate on God’s character and His action in history. Beginning with praise and thanksgiving pulls me out of my subjective hullabaloo and turns my thoughts to God’s reliability, which He has proven again and again. Trusting God is first of all a matter of remembering who He is and what He has done for us.”
When we remember God’s great works of salvation, our trust in God is strengthened. We have confidence that the one who once saved us is still our Savior. Moreover, remembrance binds us together with other believers, even as a family reminiscing makes us feel a special closeness.
One of the most striking results of bringing to mind God’s saving works is gratitude. When we consider the love of God given to us through the cross and in so many other ways, our hearts fill with thanksgiving. They overflow as we recall the ways God has made a tangible difference in our lives.
Thus, like the children of Israel, we need to remember the former things, even those of long ago. They will remind us of God and God’s grace. They will encourage us to trust God more. And when we share in this remembrance together, we encourage each other to grow in both faith and gratitude.
Reflect
Do you ever take time to remember God’s great deeds in history and in your own life?
When you remember, what happens to you?
Would you be willing to set aside some time in the next day to focus on remembering?
Act
Following up on the last question, set aside at least 15 minutes to remember ways in which God has blessed you in the past.
Pray
Gracious God, your word once spoken to Israel is just right for me today: Remember! I need to remember what you have done in the past, in history, in Jesus Christ, and in my own life. When I do, my trust in you grows, as does my gratitude.
Thank you, dear Lord, for bearing my sin on the cross. Thank you for sending your Spirit at Pentecost, and in my life when I put my faith in you. Thank you for the countless times you have touched my life: protecting me, guiding me, forgiving me, empowering me for your service. Thank you for making a difference each day, in my work, my relationships, my decisions, and my dreams.
Help me, dear Lord, to live every day in light of your great works. Help me to remember you! Amen.
Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the High Calling archive, hosted by the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Trust.
Mark D. Roberts
Senior Strategist
Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a Senior Strategist for Fuller’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership, where he focuses on the spiritual development and thriving of leaders. He is the principal writer of the daily devotional, Life for Leaders,...