Remember God’s Wonders
When the people of Israel crossed the Red Sea and were delivered from their enemy under the hand of God’s protection, they immediately rejoiced! How could they not celebrate the goodness of the Lord when the ruins of their adversary were literally before their eyes? Yet, in only a few days, they lost sight of God’s presence and hope. When Moses was on the mountain for longer than they could endure, they made a false idol in the image of their former captor’s gods (Exodus 32).
How quickly we change course when the story of God is not directly in front of us.
Generation after generation, the people of Isreal forgot the works of the Lord and turned to their own version of hope, false idols, foreign nations, and the strength of their armies. Psalm 78 tells this story of Israel’s rebellion in the face of God’s wonders and grace. Psalm 78:11 sums it up, saying, “They forgot his works and the wonders that he had shown them.”
We are no different than the people of Israel. We have the word of God, the testimony of the saints, and above all, the empowering and filling presence of the Holy Spirit within us. So why do we still falter? Why do we still forget the works and wonders of the Lord?
Perhaps it is the daily weight of sin and brokenness in the world or the unfinished work of our sanctification still flaring up within us. Maybe it’s the persistence of the flesh that entices us to gratify its desires or the steady turbulence we experience in navigating relationships. Rapid changes in our life situation, sudden tragedy, last-minute news, or just the steady drudging forward through a lasting trial weigh down on the soul.
Fear and doubt triumph when the challenge before us is greater than the story behind us.
There are a thousand reasons why we might be tempted to take our eyes off the story of God and accept fear and doubt. That’s why Paul so carefully reminds us that we are brought near through Christ into hope:
Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
If Paul felt inclined to urge the Ephesian church to remember God’s works of grace, we can also accept that invitation. It’s not complex or particular; it’s just remembrance. Flip through the pages of the scripture and remember who God is and what he has done. Open an old journal or scroll back a few years in the notes on your smartphone and read the testimonies of what God brought you through.
Above all, remember that you were bought with a price. Christ’s own blood was shed for the forgiveness of your sin. His victory on the cross vanquished death forever. We can be assured that no matter what we face, the story of God behind us will always be greater. Remember the works of the Lord because remembrance keeps us in the promise.
