Do you remember what you had for lunch last Tuesday? What are two things you received for Christmas last year? Do you remember the sermon you heard at church last Sunday? Some things are easier to remember than others. If something happens and you don't give it much thought afterward, you are far more likely to forget it.
The Lord appeared to Abraham to make a promise to him, and Abraham "built an altar to the Lord" (Gen. 12:7 NKJV). After receiving a dream from God about a ladder to heaven, Jacob awoke the next morning and built an altar with a stone he had slept on (Gen. 28:18). Why did people in the Bible build altars to the Lord?
They wanted to remember.
"Remember the former things...I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me." (Isaiah 46:9 NIV)
Remembering gives us a heart of thanksgiving. And being thankful is a necessity to stay strong in your faith. If you remember that God provided the last time, you will have the faith that He will do it again this time. If you remember the promises He has given you in His Word, you will have faith that He will fulfill what He promises if you abide in Him.
If I go to the grocery store for three or four items, I may attempt to shop without a list. But on the way there, I will repeatedly remind myself of what I need. I may literally speak aloud and say : "milk, bread, bananas, and eggs." I will say these four words until I am sure I have them memorized. We should make a similar, but more concentrated, effort in remembering things the Lord has promised and has done for us.
Remembering and thankfulness go hand-in-hand. Remind yourself of the Lord's faithfulness and be thankful!
