Monday, April 30, 2012

Choose to Remember the Lord, Part 1

Scripture: Joshua 24:17-18
for the LORD our God is He who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and who did these great signs in our sight and preserved us through all the way in which we went and among all the peoples through whose midst we passed.  "The LORD drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites who lived in the land. We also will serve the LORD, for He is our God."
 
Insights:  These Israelites in today’s verses began to recall various Ebenezer’s from their past regarding God’s activity in their lives.  Ebenezer’s are spiritual markers we can point back to and say, “I remember when . . . .”  There may have been a time you were financially desperate and God revealed Himself to you as Jehovah-Jirah, the Lord God our Provider.  Or there may have been a time you were experiencing great stress and God revealed Himself to you as Jehovah-Shalom, the Lord God our Peace.  It is good for us to remember these times and encounters with God.  As I state this truth about remembrance, it is also true we are not to remember for the sake of getting lost in the past.  In other words, we don’t remember those past experiences to cripple us from moving toward the future.  We use these Ebenezer’s as a way of giving us strength to tackle new missions into which the Lord is leading us.  For the next few days, I am going to take us on an Ebenezer journey regarding Jesus.  The first remembrance about Him is He is our Savior.  Titus 3:4-6 states, “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior (ESV).”  Notice in Paul’s words, JESUS saved us.  We did not save ourselves.  Our righteous acts did nothing for us.  Salvation was granted purely because of the mercy of Jesus.  It was out of His goodness and loving kindness that salvation was extended to us.  As a result Jesus is our Savior.  We go through this world so often and take this truth for granted.  O, Beloved, may we never take for granted the gift of eternal life found in Jesus alone.  May we always strive to express gratitude for His grace.  Remember Jesus!

Questions:
  1. What are some of the Ebenezer’s in your life?
  2. Do they give you the comfort and strength necessary to press on to the task God has called you?                              
Prayer: Gracious Father, thank You for the many times You have displayed Your presence and power in my life.  Those encounters give me the confidence and assurance of Your involvement in my life regarding the future.  Thank You for Your love.  Amen.  

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