REMEMBER

By Connie Miller, Guest Writer


Today’s Treasure


Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, “My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose”.

Isaiah 46:8-10

 

Living in the midst of a crazy, ancient polytheistic, Babylonian culture of idol worship, God is telling His people to “remember- stand firm and recall to mind”. 

  • Remember His faithfulness and goodness.  

  • Stand firm in Who He is; that He is the only true God.

  • Recall that He is like no other. 

God wants His people to stand firm, convicted that the Israelites are His chosen people and part of His Kingdom and purposes even in the midst of their enemies.  

What a great reminder for us as God’s people who live in the midst of this present chaotic world to “remember, stand firm and recall to mind”.  Remember that God is in control. Let us recall that He is God. Let us resolve that there is no other and He causes ALL things to work together for our good.  Whether you realize it or not, you and I live out of the overflow of what we believe and by the way we view the world through that tapestry of belief. A worldview can be defined as the basic way a person looks at life; the lens through which one observes the world; and responds to it. How do you respond to the daily onslaught of world news? How do you respond to the loss of employment, to conflict, or to being unjustly accused?  How do you respond to the loss of loved ones or to unexpected illness? Do you remember to stand firm and recall to mind the amazing attributes of our awesome God who sustains and rules the universe? Do you remember the One who is the conductor in this great orchestra of daily life?  The One who promises to be with us, never leave or forsake us, and calls us His own?  

Martin Lloyd Jones, well known twentieth-century theologian put it this way: 

“We proclaim a great deal about ourselves as Christians by our ordinary remarks and by our ordinary comments about life.  Our view of life comes out in our every expression.”1 

Our very expression can be the way we respond to blessing or tragedy; how we treat our neighbor or manage our finances.  

Francis Schaeffer said this: “There is a flow to history and culture. This flow is rooted and has its wellspring in the thoughts of people. People are unique in the inner life of the mind—what they are in their thought-world determines how they act. This is true of their value systems and it is true of their creativity.  It is true of their personal lives. The results of their thought-world flow through their fingers or from their tongues into the external world. This is true of Michelangelo’s chisel, and it is true of a dictator’s sword.”2

 

LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT

  

So what?  Because we are God’s child and a part of His Kingdom, we must see all of life and the world around us through the lens of the “Grand Story of Scripture” and have a Kingdom perspective that it’s ALL His. Life is full of distractions and we can so often create and worship idols of the heart. We can erect the idol of self-sufficiency; “my time”, “my space”, “my family”, even “my ministry” can become an idol. But as Isaiah 46:8 says:  “remember, stand firm, and recall to mind”.

What now?  Remember Who God is… and that He loves us with an everlasting love that endures forever. (Psalm 136:1). Recall to mind, you are His treasured possession (Deuteronomy 7:6). Stand firm to think biblically about this world we live in and how to respond to it as new creatures in Christ, (I Corinthians 5:17); filled with the guaranteed Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13) who possess the mind of Christ (I Corinthians 2:16); to give thanks in all things (I Thessalonians 5:18).  Resolve to seek first Jesus and His Kingdom. (Matthew 6:33). We must live out of a deep conviction that God is King over all of life, people, circumstances, and things around us—-to remember that we worship Him and that He alone is GOD.

PRAYER

Dear Father, help us to remember You in times of confusion that You are the God of peace.  Help us to remember that You are the God of all comfort in times of emotional turmoil and upheaval. Help us to remember that You are the God who foresees, therefore, You provide as our Great Jehovah.  Thank You for Your ever present lovingkindness and that You are a shield about us. In Jesus Name. Amen.  

1.Jones,  Martin Lloyd.  Studies in The Sermon on the Mount.  Grand Rapids, Michigan/ Cambridge UK;   1959-1960.  William B. Eerdmans Publishing.  page 407

2.Schaeffer, Francis A.  “How Should We Then Live?  The Rise and Decline of Western - Thought and Culture”.  Crossway, Westchester, Illinois.  1976.  Page 19

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Sharon W. Betters is the author of Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, co-author of Treasures of Faith. and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace, Flourishing in an Anti-Aging Culture. She is Director of Resource Development and co-founder of MARKINC.org, a non-profit organization that offers help and hope to hurting people. Sharon enjoys quality time with her husband, children, fourteen grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

Contact Sharon with comments or questions at dailytreasure@markinc.org.

WSS Part 8Connie MillerMay 2022Comment