Remembering YOUR History

Remembering YOUR History 

by David Brenneman

Right now my reading in both my Bible plans has me in Exodus. Oh the lessons taught to the people of Israel! To the Egyptians! Ever stop to think about the fact that in Paradise where Moses had eventually arrived and that quite possibly he could look over and see that same Pharaoh who did all those things against him and God's people? When you read of their final days in Egypt, the Lord established reminders. He began to teach them of things to remember and to teach to the next generation. Told them to remember what all the Lord their God did for them.  

And then they quickly forgot when the next bit of trouble came. When the next this or that happened. They weren't obeying very well. They were saved on the very day that the Lord said they would be and nobody noticed. Jesus came upon this Earth at the appointed time and nobody noticed in all Israel.  

The people were used to being a broken people in the land of Egypt. Used to just doing what they were told by their so-called masters. So they were told so they did. They just accepted it and although distressing they learned to live with it rather than at all seeking the God of their fathers. They had no reminders from the time of Joseph or of Israel. The memorials that had been set up were long forgotten as to why Isreal, or Joseph had set them up. The lessons in the wilderness for the next 80 years were to be the beginning of turning the people towards relying on God and not themselves, not on what only their eyes could see or ears would hear. 

In the beginning days of those 80 Moses was told to give the people reminders. To get them to do this in order to get them to think differently. Some did, some did not. 

In the ensuing days some would even yet still rebel against Moses and Aaron. Truth is they were rebelling against the Lord Jesus Christ.  

In Psalms there's the writings of David that are of him asking to be reminded of the things of God. Life is going to be hard, we need reminders.  

We need to realize that in our lived, just as it was in Israel back then, the hand of God is at work in us and He is for us.

70 people entered Egypt in the days of Israel's arriving in the days of Joseph being a leader there. Over 600,000 left Egypt with Pharaoh on their heels to try to bring them back. 70 to over 600,000 in 430 years. God's promise missed by them that He made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that Abraham's offspring would be as the sand of the seashore. There's one thing they didn't remember or realize. The memorials that Jacob set up to remind himself and others of the great things God did were there but forgotten. That's another. Moses knew somehow to bring the bones of Joseph with them as they left so someone in the 430 years knew to remember that. 

Jesus used the wilderness journey to create a reliance upon Him. To turn their hearts towards Him. To get them to look up. Jesus was the Lord God we read about in the Old Testament. We know this from the first chapter of the book of John. Another reminder. 

In the bulk of the Old Testament we find one after another of the reminders of God in the lives of people. 

In today's terminology what we read of in God's instructions to Moses is for them to journal about their relationship with God. To write down and remember. To teach it to their children. Today we ought to be writing down our faith history just as God had taught Moses to do and had instructed Moses to teach the people of Israel to do. 

Some have said that it's not good to dwell on the past. The negative things, for sure, don't dwell on those. Satan loves to remind you and I about our past. We remind him of his future. We ought to always be mindful and reminded of the great things that God's done in our lives. Reason being we WILL be hit with things in our future that will at times shake us to the core of who we are. Things that will emotionally wreck us. We need reminders of God's work in us to keep us from running away from our calling in Christ Jesus. Dr. John Whitcomb often quoted Romans 3:4 a lot. Let God be found true and every man a liar. We need daily reminders of God's truth. The truth found in His Word and what He says is true of us. What His decided will for us is, not what we try to make it to be. Remember that we read that many will attempt to say they did this or that in Jesus's name. They weren't doing what they were called to be doing. They weren't doing it for Jesus. Many had not the right relationship with Jesus to begin with. 

Be sure of your relationship with Jesus then keep a journal or notebook of your faith history. Keep it with you. When times get rough, and they will, you will need reminders of the great things that God's done in you and for you. 

I use two apps on my phone and tablet. I am one who types rather than hand writes. I know of others who love to hand write journals. Whatever you need to do, do it.

We will be tempted to think we don't need it.  It's not my instruction it's God's. The Lord gave examples for us to learn from and live by.  It's up to us to do.