1 Corinthians 11
23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
In remembrance of Him! We do well to remember Him, and how quickly we do terribly when we forget Him. I am born again only 3 and a half years but I have come to know how very precious it is to remember Him. To consider and to meditate on Him. It is a tender-loving mercy that Jesus instituted this table. I can see now how surely I would have fallen if we did not remember Him regularly. Not for the benefit of His self-worth or pride, as if He needed our sympathy… But how lovingly and mercifully Jesus knew we desperately needed to be instructed to remember Him. – How clearly He knows the consequences of a people/person who forgets.
These past few weeks my reading has been through Deuteronomy and these scriptures have been so impressed upon my heart. Even before Tim asked me to speak this morning… I know they are for this meeting…
Deuteronomy 6
12 Beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
Remember the “bondage”… Remember that day of new birth. Remember the moment you cried out. Remember where you cried from! Remember your old master, remember the bonds you were in and the path you were on. Remember where your life was headed and what you’ve been saved from… “Thank God I am free, free, free from this world of sin!”
Deuteronomy 8
2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. 3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. 4 Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. 5 Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.
Remember His faithfulness. Has he not been faithful? Remember His leading and His guiding. Remember His testimony, His provision. Remember His kept promises, His forgiveness, His mercy, patience, grace… Has He not taken us safely this far?! It is Him and only Him who has kept us and lead us safely to here. His word sustains us. He is enough! Hasn’t He always been enough? The Psalmist knew that every day He could look back on His shepherds goodness and mercy. (Psalm 23:6) – We have lacked nothing that we needed.
Deuteronomy 4
5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. 6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. 7 For what nation(people) is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for? 8 And what nation(people) is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?
Remember His promises. Remember His providence. Remember his plans to prosper you. Remember the very heart and motive of God today! His desire to dwell in you and among us! Remember His nearness, His presence, His loving kindness, His wisdom. Remember His ways, His power and His sovereignty. Remember that to be in His will is the most wonderful heights of joy and peace this life can know. Remember that obedience commands a blessing. Remember that His ways are victorious, overcoming and conquer every foe.
Deuteronomy 8
19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. 20 As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God.
We do not need to cast our minds too far back to see how quickly we forget and how quickly we perished. Surely, as we remember the stormy seas and forget Christ we are immediately sinking. Remember the severity and danger of forgetting. Remember the consequences for yourself but much more… for others.
Deuteronomy 4
9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons; 10 Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb….
Of the scriptures that have been quickened to me over the past weeks this one has stood out the most. I have it written out a taped above my desk… “take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen” – Truly we remember that day we stood before Him bare, barren, broken, sinful, with no hope, no worth, nothing to offer, a guilty plea and with only a cry for Jesus! “Keep thy soul diligently”
1 Corinthians 11
23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. 27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.
Before we pray let us just take a minute to remember Him. To meditate on Him and His ways. He has graciously taught me this week a little of the power and value in simply meditating and remembering. It brings a reality and a deeper revelation… that we so quickly forget. As verse 33 says let us wait for one another. If one needs to confess, repent or reunite with a brother or sister… Let us remember Him!
Learning With Lovell 