Reminder to Remember

Passage:  “As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples…then He took a cup and after giving thanks, He gave it to them.”  Matthew 26:26-30

I have started the almost insurmountable task of organizing our family photos.  Many of these pictures are “in the cloud” and if you don’t know what that means, I can’t help you because honestly I don’t understand it either.  I have many pictures that need to be added “to the cloud” so they can all be perfectly ordered by time and place and become more easily accessed but it seems I go three steps forward and two steps back each time I try to tackle the task. 

The fun part of this endeavor is the remembering.  Some of the photos bring such a clarity to my memory that it seems I can not only see but also smell and hear the scene my eyes view.  I get a little lost in the remembering and before I know it, I haven’t gained much in operation organization. 

Remembering is a key component in God’s Word.  There is no way in a short devotional I could completely capture the full impact of remembering but over and over again God said to His people “remember..lest you become full and satisfied and forget Me” (Deuteronomy 8:12-14).  They were to remember by celebrating, calendaring, and consideration.  Their holidays were to remember how God had worked for their past benefit and promised to continue to do so for their future.  Their yearly calendar was arranged as a reminder of God’s work.  Through these celebrations and daily sacrifices they were to consider the LORD and what He had done for them. 

As Jesus celebrated one of these sacred celebrations with His disciples, He taught a lesson of remembrance.  He took what was familiar during the Passover meal, the bread and the wine, and imparted new meaning so they would remember His death.  These Jesus-followers from that point on to us today would celebrate these elements in communion and remember the new covenant ushered in by His death and resurrection. 

This celebration of remembrance was so sacred and important that Jesus said He “would not drink it again until the day when I drink it in a new way in My Father’s kingdom with you.”  (Matthew 26:29)   Until then we participate in what we call The Lord’s Supper and remember ‘lest we forget’.  His body was broken and bruised and His innocent, sinless blood was shed as the perfect sacrifice. 

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  John 3:16 (KJV)

Father forgive us when we forget.  In Your mercy remind us who we were, who we are, and who we will be in glory.  We have nothing without You and all eternity with You.  Thank You Jesus.